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Couverture  de  couleur 


r~]    Covers  damaged/ 


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D 


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0 
n 
0 


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of  th 
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begir 
the  li 
sion, 
othei 
first  I 
sion, 
or  illi 


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Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  material  suppl^mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
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shall 
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diffei 
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right 
requi 
meth 


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Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqui  ci-dessous. 


-OX 

14X 

1SX 

22X 

2SX 

SOX 

y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


B 

hails 
■  du 
lodifier 
r  une 
Image 


Tha  copy  filmed  hera  haa  baan  raproducad  thanka 
to  tha  ganarotity  of: 

La  Biblioth^ufl  d«  h  Villa  da  Montrfal 


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filming  contract  apecificationa. 


L'axemplaire  film4  fut  reproduit  grice  i  la 
g4n*roait6  de: 

La  Biblioth«qua  da  la  Villa  da  Montreal 


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conformity  avec  lea  condltiona  du  contrat  de 
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plat,  aelon  le  caa.  Toua  lea  autrea  exemplairea 
originaux  aont  filmia  en  commandant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreaaion  ou  d'iiluatration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  derni6re  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  synmbol  <^»>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symbolea  auivants  apparaitra  aur  la 
derniire  image  de  chaque  microfiche,  aelon  le 
caa:  le  aymbole  — ►  aignifie  "A  SUiVRE".  la 
symbole  y  aignifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charta,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
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right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Lea  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  difftrenta. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  fiimA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  i  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bar,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  auivants 
iiluatrant  la  m^thode. 


srrata 
to 


pelure, 


n 

32X 


1 

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1 

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3 

4 

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6 

MI 


LA 


WESTERN 


MISSIONS  AND  MISSIONARIES: 


A  SEKIES  OF  LETTERS 


REV.  P.  J.  DE  ^MET, 

or  THE  80CIBTT  OF  JESUS, 

Author  of  "Indian  Sketches,"  "Obeoon  Missions,"  Eto. 


NEW    YORK: 

JAMES    B.   KIRKER, 

LATE  EDWARD  DUNTGAN  AND  BROTHER, 

699  BEOADWAY  (UPSTAIRS). 

1863. 


^t.«d  .«.,,,„  ,„i.,., 


io49er. 


CONTENTS. 


DESCRIPTIVE     LETTERS. 

lilTTKB 

I.  Voyage  from  Belgium  to  Limn  in  1844 '*JJ 

II.  Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1 849-Th  ePrairios 2(J 

III.  Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1849-Tho  Mauvjiisei 

Terras . 

IV.  Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1849-The "ponkahB 88 

V.  Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1849-The  Ogallalla  Chief! !    40 

VI.  Journey  to  the  Groat  Desert  in  1849-Prospect8  of  the 

Indians _- 

• 01 

I.  Appeal  to  Belgium -- 

II.  Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  'iSSl-Death  of  Father 

Hoeken .. 

III.  Travels  in  the  Great  Desert  in  1851 Qg 

IV.  Travels  in  the  Great  Desert  in  1861 79 

V.  Travels  in  the  Great  Desert  in  1851.. !]!!!"!!!"'." 90 

VI.  Travels  in  the  Great  Desert  in  1851-The' Great  Peace 

Council _ 

VII.  Travels  in  the  Great  Desert  in" issi-Homeward  Journey  '.  112 
VIII.  Voyage  and  Wreck  on  the  Humboldt  in  1858. .  .* 121 

IX.  The  Letter  of  the  Crazy  Bear,  Assiniboin  Chief.  ...*!!!.'.'.*!  130 
X.  Religious  Opinions  of  the  Assiniboins .'..'.'...'.  184 

XI.  Indian  Hunts , . » 

XII.  Indian  Warfare .'.!!..!.'.. isa 

XIII.  Tchatka,  the  Poisoner,  an  Assiniboin  Chief .' .'  .'.* .'  .*  *.'  *^ 168 

XIV.  The  Indian  Question "" g^g 

XV.  Watomika  and  the  Delawares *.'.".'.'.'.*.*.'.'.'.*.'.!"! '.  218 

XVI,  Kistalwa  and  Maria,  parents  of  Watomika  ..*'".'.'*.*.*.*.'.*.'.'.*  281 
XVII.  Fire-worship . . 

XVIII.  Four  Tribes   of  the  Black-FeeVlGros-VentresV 'p^ans 

Blood-Tribe,  and  Black-Feet  Proper '258 


* 


.  1  *tj 


Hi 
Hi 


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k 


i 

't't   St*'""-''"'"''-  Ho.k.n'. l.t«„ "•• 

Si   JJ«;^'"W«'^F«tl.erB.,',  Fir.t  Letter ;:;  .' JJo 

/^Tv  IS* ^"'«"-^^"'^"^»''8«<^nd Letter...:;::::: :;  aJJ 

V V vr   P'*  «"*fir«»-r«ther  Bax'B  Third  Letter m 

XXKL  Convertion  of  Kandolph  Benton,  .on  of  Hon.  T.'h 
Benton 

XXXIL  Beligioua  Situation  oVs;:  Loui."and  StV'FeVinandl 

TTTTTT  ^J^^^^^^^^^-therBax-ThoOsageB o„ 

XXXIIL  The  Mormonii  . . . .  "'^^ 

XXXIV.  MissiopB  of  Kentucky:: J!?' 

XXXV.  The  Ursulines  of  America"::::::: ; ' UJ 

iXXVL  Voyage  of  the  Leopold  L  from  Antwerp  to  New  Yoi"  417 


xxxvn. 

XXXVIIL 

XXXIX. 

XL. 

XLI. 

XLII. 

XLIII. 

XLIV. 

XLV. 

XLVI. 


BIOGRAPHICAL    LBTTKR8. 

Bev.  Charles  Nerinckx .^ 

Father  Charles  Felix  Van  Quiokenbome',  S.*  j: : : 21 

Father  Theodore  de  The  ax,  S.  J !!: 

Father  John  Anthony  Elet,  S.J....::::: 21 

Father  John  B^tist  Smedts,  S.  J.::*::: Jg! 

Father  Francis  Xavier  d'Hoop,  8.  J. ?ok 

Death  of  the  Right  Eev.  James  0.  Van  de  vildi 409 

Father  John  Nobili,  S.  J :!: 

Father  Anthony  Eysvogels,  S.  J.  ..;:*.:: : ^ 

Father  John  B.  Duerinok,  8.  J JJ^ 


/^ 


I 


PREFACE  TO  THE  BELGIAN  EDITION. 


BT  FAinaa  bdward  tkbwecorbn,  b.  j. 


I 


Charles  ITERtNCKx,  formerly  parish  prieflt  of  Ever- 
berg-Mcerbeek,  near  Lou  vain,  in  Belgium,  and  early 
misBionary  of  Kentucky,  made  tw^  voyages  to  Eu-. 
rope  to  obtain  pecuniary  aid  and  fellow-soldiers  for 
the  conquest  of  souls  in  the  l^ew  "World. 

In  July,  1821,  on  leaving  Belgium,  which  he  was 
never  again  to  see,  he  was  accompanied  by  several 
Belgians— namely,  Felix  Verreydt,  of  Diest ;  Josse 
Van  Assche,  of  St.  Amand ;  Peter  Joseph  Verhae- 
gen,  of  Haec^  t;  John  Baptist  Smedts,  of  Rotselaer; 
John  Anthony  Elet,  of  St.  Amand ;  and  Peter  John 
De  Smet,  of  Termonde. 

The  last  named,  who  had  just  attained  his  twenty- 
first  year,  began  by  this  first  voyage  his  long  and 
perilous  courses  by  seas  and  torrents,  deserts  aLl 
forests,  amid  whites  and  Indians— in  a  word,  the 


•  PRIFAOI. 

thousand  (lunpfcrt  md  i»rlvntIo»«  which  fiurround  an 
Apostolic  man  in  hi«  fuiHliHtunt  and  «ulltary  oxi)edi. 

llio  hold  and  ovangolicnl  poroKrinations  of  our 
follow-coiiufrynuui  ari.I  brother  in  Chrint  have  been 
crowned  with   the  most  conHoliuK  results  for  tho 
CJiurch,  and  hy  a  necessary  conscriucnco  for  truo 
civiHzation,  which  is  etlected  hy  Catholicism.     The 
apostolato   of  Father  Do  Smct    is   pursued    until 
this  day  with  zeal  and  porscvoranco.     Already,  in 
1853,  his  united  journeys  represented  an  extent  of 
loud  and  water  8uri)as8ing  live  times  tho  circumfer- 
cncG  of  tlio  globe  I    Since  then  ho  has  crossed  tho 
ocean  throo  times,   and   traversed  immense  coun- 
tries.    Wo  ofler  ardent  prayers  that  God  may  long 
preserve  this  untiring  hiborcr  in  the  vineyard  of  tho 
Lord. 

Following  tho  example  of  his  predecessors  in  tho 
labors  of  foreign  missions.  Father  De  Smet  has  taken 
numerous  notes  concerning  the  countries  he  has 
visited.    Tliese  notes,  tho  result  of  profound  study  of 
men  and  things,  have  a  bearing  on  several  branches 
of  science  and  the  arts:  Geography,  Natural  History, 
Astronomy,  Physics,  Chemistry,  Manners,  Customs, 
Creeds-all  are  here.    To  be  convinced  of  the  extent 
and  variety  of  these  notes,  as  well  as  of  the  pictu- 
resque and  cuiious  adventures  of  the  traveUer,  it 


PBXfAOl.  0 

infflccs  to  look  at  the  contents,  or  glance  through 
tiio  voliinio. 

Siiniliir  Biibjccts  liavo  been  trontecl  in  the  preced- 
ing works  of  the  mi^Humnry,  of  which  vvo  doom  it 
nseful  to  give  the  l>ibliogrupliy. 

1.  Let  (em  and  Sketrhn,  with  a  yarrntivs  of  a  TmrU  IteH- 
d»nce  among  the  Indian  Trihe»  of  the.  Rocky- Mountain*.  Phila- 
delpliin,  publi.Hh«d  bjr  M.  Fitliiun,  1813.    l2o,  p,,  ix.253 

Voyn,j,,  au^  Montagne,.lMu:u.f»,  et  nne  annH  dc  '»Mour 
ehnlea  Jnh,^  (ndienne.  ,in  ta^te  Territoire  de  ^ Oregon  depen- 
dant dea  Ltat,.[/ni»  d^Amerique,  pnr  le  K.  P.  Pierro  De  Staet, 
miHsionimiro  ,lo  la  CoinpuKuio  do  Jchus.    MulinoH,  P.  J.  Uuuic.. 
l^U.     In- 12,  pp.  vi.-8(H. 
lieUn<mr  hct  liotngebergte  {Rocky  Mountain),  door  Eer^. 

\tl^^l^      n '  ^'^^'''^  ''""^'^'"^  '"  '^'  Vereenigde  Statm. 
1840-1841.     Doventor,  bij  J.  W.  Kobij„s  en  coinp. 

An  edition  lu  Italian,  issued  by  Louis  Provoto.    Palermo,  1847. 

^  2.  Oregon  Missions  and  Travels  over  the  Rocky  Mountains 
tn^l845-40.    Now  York,  publihbed  by  Edward  Dunigan,  1847. 


8.  Missions  de  VOrigon  et  toyages  auz  Montagnes-Rocheuses 
etaux  Sources  de  la  Colombie,  de  V Athabasca  et  du  Sascatsha- 
^m  en  1845-40  par  le  P(,re  P.  J.  Do  Smet,  de  la  Society  de 
J^3U9.  Gand,VanderSchelden.  In-12,  pp.  ix.-889.  (L'aDDro- 
bation  est  de  1848.)    Translated  by  Father  De  Smet 

Mmien  van  den  Oregon  en  Heizen  naer  de  Hotshergen  en 
ffronnen  der  Colombia,  der  Athabasca  en  ScmaU,hawin  in 

rlen     In-lf "'''       ''  ^"  ^'  ^^  ^"'''"    ^''''^'  ^'  ^"^  ^°'  '^'^^^ 

Jtmiom  de  V  Oregon  et  Voyages  dans  les  Montagnes-Hocheusei 
en  1845-46,  par  le  Pdre  P.  J.  De  SmeL  da  k  Sn^j^fA  a.  ta„„„ 


10 


rREFACE. 


Oavrage  traduit  de  I'anglais  par  M.  Bourlez.  Paris,  Kbrairie 
do  Poussiolgue-Rusand.  A  Lyon,  chez  J.  B.  P61agaud  et  Oie. 
1848.  In-12,  pp.  408.  (Paris,  imprimerie  de  Poussielgue.) 
A  different  translation  from  that  issued  in  Belgium. 

4.  Voyage  an  Grand  Desert  en  1851,  par  le  R,  P.  Pierre  De 
Sraot,  missicnnaire  de  la  Oompagnie  de  Jesus.  Bruxelles,  im- 
primerie de  J.  Vandereydt,  1853.  In-18,  pp.  436,  tir6  k  part  des 
Freci3  Historiqueo  du  P.  Terwecoren. 

6.  The  Indian  Missions  in  the  United  States  of  America,  under 
the  care  of  the  Missouri  Province  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  Phila- 
delphia, King  &  Baird,  1841.  120,  pp.  84.  Oontaina:  To  the 
most  £ev.  Archbishop  and  Right  Rev.  Bishops  in  Provincial 
Council  assemllcd.  Dated  St.  Louis,  May  8d,  1830,  signed  P 
J.  Verhaegen.  Extract  from  a  Letter  of  Father  De  Smet,  mis- 
sionary among  the  Pottawatomie  Indians,  1838,  pp.  9-22  A 
letter  from  the  same,  dated  St.  Louis  University,  February  4th, 

6.  Cinquante  Nouvelles  Lettres  du  R.  P.  De  Smet,  de  la  Oom- 
pagme  de  Jesus  et  missionnaire  en  Ara^rique,  publi^es  par  Ed 
Terwecoren,  de  la  m6me  compagnie.    Paris  et  Tournai,  h' 
Casterman,  1858.    In-12,  pp.  ix.-504. 

Such  are  the  principal  publications  on  the  thirty- 
eeven  years'  journeys  of  the  missionary  of  the  Eocky 
Mountains.  We  hope  soon  tc  be  able  to  complete 
and  publish  in  the  Preda  mst(yriques  a  succinct 
table  of  all  these  expeditions,  or  an  Itinerary  of  the 
Voyages  and  Missions  of  Father  De  Smet.  This 
table,  drawn  up  in  chronological  order,  will  contain 
the  names  of  the  places  visited  or  seen  successively 
since  1821,  and  some  brief  remarks,  as  well  as  the 
number  of  miles  travelled. 


PREPAOE. 


11 


Wh  adopted  as  the  motto  of  the  work  which  we 
edit  these  words  of  Father  De  Smet :  "  N"ever  have  I 
remarked  tha  least  sign  to  alarm  modesty."  They 
show  that  the  works  of  Father  De  Smet  may  be  read 
by  all  without  distinction.  And  altliough  this  cor- 
respondence relates  to  the  gross  and  nomadic  tribes, 
there  is  never  a  word  which  need  alarm  the  most 
chaste,  or  excite  a  blush  on  even  a  virginal  brow. 
"  :N"ever,"  says  he,  speaking  of  the  amusements  of  the 
savages  at  Fort  Laramie—"  Never  did  I  remark  the 
slightest  indication  which  could  shock  the  most  con- 
scientious modesty  I»  These  words  are  a  lesson  to 
those  civilized  men  and  pretended  civilizers  who  style 
savages  the  unfortunate  Indians,  whose  morality  Eu- 
rope does  not  possess. 

May  the  reading  of  these  interesting  recitals  arouse 
Catholics  to  contribute  their  aid  to  Foreign  Missions, 
and  promote  in  hearts  of  generous  mould  the  voca- 
tion to  the  apostolical  ministry  I— there  are  so  many 
Boulis  to  save. 

How  beautiful  is  the  faith  which  produces  those 
valorous  missionaries  I  Armed  with  the  sole  stand- 
ard of  the  cross,  with  no  other  compass  than  obedi- 
ence, with  no  star  of  the  ocean  but  Mary,  they  run 
fearlessly  to  their  goal,  which  is  the  attainment  of 
God's  greater  glory  by  the  salvation  of  souls.  They 
wait  but  for  the  opportunity  of  saving  one  soul,  to 


13 


PEEFAOE. 


fly  to  unexplored  countries,  to  ever-growing  dangers 
of  death.    Strangers  to  the  wealth,  the  honors,  the 
pleasures  of  this  world,  dismterested  in  all  their  un- 
dertakings,  thoy  taste  no  other  consolation  amid  in- 
funatcd  waves,  in  frightful  solitudes,  in  the  primeval 
forest,  than  that  of  passing  through  them  to  do 
good.    How  efficacious  is  the  grace  of  God  I    It 
creates  heroes  1    To  these  apostolic  men,  the  natural 
courage  and  strength  which  form  noble  characters 
and  men  of  superior  stamp  will  not  suffice.    AH 
human  qualities  are  powerless  in  accomplishing  such 
vast  designs,  and  in  correspondence  with  the  inspira- 
tions of  those  magnanimous  hearts.     Athletes  of 
teaveu,  heralds  of  faith,  missionaries  of  the  everlast- 
ing Gospel,  they  take  their  weapons  at  the  foot  of  the 
tabernacle,  and  derive  their  force  from  the  flesh  and 
blood  of  the  Lamb. 

ED.  TEKWECOEEN, 

Off  THB  SOOIETT  OP  Jaacfl. 

P.BTr88EL8,8dofthe  month  of  Mary.  ) 

Feast  of  the  Invention  of  the  Holy  Cross,  1858. 1 


WESTERN  MISSIONS,  Etc. 


Letter  I. 

„  Lou,  26th  Moj,  ISU. 

Eeverenu  ahd  Dear  Father  PRoviscrAi, : 

Somo  time  ago  I  wrote  to  you  from  Valparaiso;  I  now 
™te  from  Peru.  We  arrived  I>ere  the  llth  i„st  after  I 
short  and  happy  voyage  from  Chili.  The  distanc  'isllt 
50.  eagues  (1500  miies).  The  ocean,  appropriately  ea  d 
Pacfie,  ™  ,„,ooth  and  tranquil;  the  wind  was  favorable 
Bot  the  slightest  aeeident  has  troubled  our  minds  durW  .^' 

furiTai  :■'"'*  .'^''-^»  -y  of  "-o  saiW  whieh  werf    n! 
furled  at  Valparaiso,  and  without  deviating  a  single  hue 
from  ,ts  course,  our  ship  reached  the  road  of  Callao  wh  ch 
.s  about  two  leagues  from  Lima.    On  the  day  of  o    'a"  '  al 
I  offered  up  the  holy  sacrifice,  during  whii  was  sung  the 

Tb-tr  1°  Tf"'  '^'"^  '"  *■"=  ^"'^  f»  'he  signal  favor 
wh  ch  he  had  bestowed  upon  us.  From  ValparaL  I  have 
sent  your  reverence  a  circnrastaulial  account  of  our  Ions 
voyage  to  thrs  place  from  the  mouth  of  the  Scheld.  As  r^y 
letter^may  not  have  roached  you,  I  shall  here  repeat  the  2 

On  the  9th  January  we  prepared  to  leave  the  Scheld  with 


14 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


an  eastern  wind,  for  which  wc  had  waited  twcnty-cig^t  days, 
and  to  enter  the  North  Sea.    Early  in  the  morning  two  masses 
were  celebrated  on  board.  All  was  animation  around  us.  Sev- 
^    eral  other  ships  made  preparation  to  leave,  and  the  air  resound- 
ed with  the  naval  songs  of  the  sailors,  who  in  their  respective 
tongues  bade  farewell  to  the  road  of  Ramnekens.     One  of 
tlie  ships,  commanded  by  Capt.  De  Cock  and  crowded  with 
German  emigrants  for  Texas,  was  carried  forward  by  the  force 
of  the  wind  and  current,  and  struck  the  stern  of  ours.     The 
cries  of  dist.es9  uttered  by  the  passengers  responded  to  the 
crushing  of  the  timbers.     Both  sliips  sustained  some  injury, 
but  all  ended  in  reproaches  and  expostulations  between  the 
pilots.   We  were  more  frightened  than  injured.   At  3  o'clock 
P.  M.   we  put  to   sea.     Wlien  opposite  Flushing,  Mother 
Constantme,  Superior-general  of  the  Ladies  of  Notre  Dame 
and  the  Superior  of  the  houses  of  Namur  and  Ghent,  took 
leave  of  their  Sisters  (all  were  in  tears),  and  were  put  ashore. 
Like  a  noble  steed  impatient  of  restraint,  the  Indefatigable 
sprang  forward,  bounding  over  the  limpid  deep.     We  soon 
beheld  another  scene.     Neptune  exacted  his  tribute.    Each 
passenger  otFered  his  libation  to  the  implacable  deity.    The 
night  was  dark  aud  stormy ;  the  wind  unfavorable.    After 
passing  Calais,  we  were  in  danger  of  being  thrown  on  the 
coast  of  France.     On  the  13th  we  were  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Plymouth,  and  on  the  following  day  we  entered  the  broad 
Atlantic.     On  the  20th  we  were  in  sight  of  the  island  of  Ma- 
deira.   The  next  day  we  had  a  calm,-the  sea  was  as  smooth 
as  a  mirror;   the  thermometer  indicated  nineteen  degrees 
of  heat  (seventy-five  of  Fahrenheit).    During  the  calm  we  re- 
ceived a  visit  from  a  neighboring  ship.    Five  men  approached 
us  m  a  boat.  We  invited  them  to  come  on  deck.  They  refused, 
alleging  that,  as  they  were  bound  for  Marseilles,  they  would 
be  subjected  to  the  quarantine,  unless  they  could  declare  on 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


15 


oath  that  they  had  not  been  on  board  of  any  other  vessel 
during  the  voyage.  The  steersman  informed  us  that  he  had 
been  captain  of  the  French  ship  La  Fdicite,  which  had 
been  wrecked  on  the  African  coast,  and  that  the  Ant  (the 
ship  that  hiy  near  us)  had  taken  him  and  his  crew  on  board. 
After  ascertaining  our  longitude  and  asking  some  question* 
about  France,  they  took  charge  of  some  letters  and  left  us. 
On  Sunday,  28th,  the  sea  was  so  much  agitated  that  we 
could  not  celebrate.  On  such  occasions  all  received  the 
holy  communion.  On  the  preceding  Wednesday,  Thursday, 
and  Friday,  we  had  the  happiness  of  oflering  up  the  holy 
sacrifice.  It  was  also  our  custom  to  sing  vespers  on  deck 
in  the  evening. 

On  the  1st  of  February  we  came  in  sight  of  St.  Anthony, 
one  of  the  Capo  Verd  Islands.  On  the  following  day,  the 
Feast  of  the  Purification,  we  assembled  at  nine  o'clock  p.  m. 
to  sing  canticles  and  the  litany  in  honor  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin.  Never,  perhaps,  have  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific 
oceans  resounded  as  long  and  as  regularly  with  the  praises 
of  this  kind  Mother,  who  is  our  hope  and  consolation  in  the 
dangers  to  which  we  are  exposed. 

"  We  felt  how  she  can  calm  impart, 
"Who,  though  in  heaven's  supremest  place, 
Bears— as  on  earth— n  Mother's  heart. 
We  hoped  that  she  would  guard  us— she, 
Bright  Mother  of  Him  who  walk'd  the  sea." 

On  the  6th  and  7th  we  had  another  calm,  and  the  ther- 
mometer stood  at  thirty-five  degrees  (eighty-eight  of  Fahren- 
heit). It  did  not  rise  higher  on  the  Atlantic,  though  I 
feared  that  under  the  line  we  would  have  had  to  suffer  much 
from  the  heat.  On  the  10th  we  had  ton  vessels  in  sight. 
On  the  13th,  abouteight  o'clock  p.  m.,  we  had  a  sliglit  breeze, 
which  brought  a  Dutch  vessel  near  us.    They  approached 


16 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


US  With  tho  sound  of  music,  and  the  soldiers  on  board  sanr? 
military  Bong.,  wliich  formed  a  strange  contrast  with  the 
htanics  of  tlie  Blessed  Virgin  which  we  were  singing  at  tho 
time.     We  hailed  each  other:  "From  liotterdam  to  Bata- 
via,    was  answered  by  "  From  Antwerp  to  Valparaiso."     On 
the  14th  we  were  near  the  line.     At  night  the  sailors  gave 
three  shouts  in  honor  of  Neptune.     A  tar-barrel  was  kindled 
and  called  Neptune's  fire.     Soon   after  a  gruff  voice  was 
heard  from  tho  mainmast,  asking,  "Captain,  how  many  pas- 
sengers  have  you?"     "Twelve,"  was  the  answer.     "Well 
let  them  be  prepared,-!  am  Neptune's  envoy ;  to-morrow  h  J 
will  come  m  person  to  administer  baptism  to  them."     Oq 
the  following  morning  a  shout  was  raised  :  "Neptune  !  Nep- 
tune ! !"     We   accompanied   the   captain   on   deck  to  pay 
homage  to  his  marine  majesty  and  his  court.     We  found 
the  sea-god  accoutred  in  such  a  manner  that  any  one  would 
have  supposed  that  he  had  undertaken  to  personate  Tluto 
His  courtiers  vied  with  him  in  grotesque  apparel.     They 
were  all  over  besmeared  with  tar.     The  pretended  deity  be- 
gan  by  promising  the  captain  a  prosperous  voyage ;  after 
v^hich,  turning  to  me,  he  requested  me  to  submit  to  the 
operation  of  the  razor.     As  superior  of  the  passengers   I 
promised  to  treat  for  all.     He  insisted  upon  shaving  its  fii^st 
A  spirited  dialogue  took  place  between  us.    At  last  he  told 
nie  in  a  whisper  that  he  would  do  the  thing  decently,  and 
begged  me  not  to  deprive  the  sailors  of  their  only  fun     I 
submitted.    His  basin  was  a  tub,  his  napkin  a  piece  of  sail- 
cloth,  and  a  hand-brush  and  wooden  sword  completed  his 
implements.     As  soon  as  I  had  gone  through  the  operation, 
I  withdrew,  knowing  what  was  to  follow.     My  companions 
were  called  one  after  another  to  the  barber's  stool.    On  a 
signal  given,  Neptune  commanded  baptism,  and  a  deluge  of 
water  came  down  on  my  poor  companions.    The  Sistfira 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


IT 


who  were  exornptod  from  passing  through  the  ceremony,  en- 
joyed the  hmghal»I«  scene.     Next  came  a  sea-fight  betweea 
the  saih^rs.    All  the  buckets  were  put  in  requisition,  and 
were  filled  and   emptied  with   astonisliing  dexterity.     At 
It'ugtli,  exhausted  with  fatigue,  all  retired.     After  some  timo 
they  reappeared  in  their  beat  clothes,  and  played  all  sorts 
of  antics.      The    whole  terminated  with  an  extra  supper,* 
and  a  donation  to  tlio  sailors.     On  the  Ist  of  March  wo 
had  three  vessels  in  sight,  and  at  night  we  beheld  a  meteor 
of  a  njost  beautiful  appearance.     For  a  considerable  time  we 
had  opportunities  to  admire  the  three  nebuho  of  Magellan. 
Two  of  them  are  lunii.ious,  the  third  is  dark.     They  seem  to 
be  at  a  distance  of  thirty  degrees  from  each  other ;  their  un- 
defined  forms  have   about   five  degrees   diameter.     Their 
height  on  the  southern  horizon  varies  in  proportion  as  the 
latitude  increases  towards  the  Antartic  pole.     On  the  3d  the 
thunder  rolled  in  all  directions,  and  at  night  a  violent  hail- 
Btorm  burst  from  the  clouds.     Nothing  lemarkable  occurred 
till  the  IGth,  when  we  came  in  sight  of  the  Falkland  Isles. 

Three  days  after  we  found  ourselves  close  to  the  South 
ShetLind  Isles.    During  the  night  of  the  20th  two  large 
icebergs  floated  by  us;    they  appeared  about  a  hundred 
feet  above  the  surface  of  the  sea.     Soon  after  we  saw  the 
volcanic  rocks  called  Greenock,  and  the  rocky  islands  of 
San  Ildefonso  and  San  Diego.     A  few  days  after  we  were 
overtaken   by  a  violent  tempest  which  tore  our  sails,  and 
our  ship  became  the  sport  of  the  winds  and  waves.     Scarce- 
ly did  we  begin  to  breathe  when  we  were  subjected  to  a 
still  greater  trial.     A  strong  gale  arose  and  drove  us  di- 
rectly towards  the  land,  which  soon  appeared  to  our  view. 
The  danger  was  imminent.     The  ship  had  become  unman- 
ageable.    All  on  deck,  in  breathless  expectation,  had  their 
eyes  fixed  on  the  frightful  rocks  that  line  the  Patao-onian 

2« 


illll 


18 


WISTTOK   MISSIOira 


Ml 

I 


co«t.     Wo  awa,t»d  in  .ilonco  tU  »ccompIi,hmont  of  Ih, 

to  warn   1,„  Si.tor.  of  .ho  d„ng„r,  „„,,  to  cttLr  then/    oil 
of  n.y  .nunstry.    They  wore  engaged  in  imploring  tl  e  2 

V.t:  Y  1  "'""f'  "'"  -'--o- of  the  B  e^d 
V.rg,„      Y„„  „,|l  naturally  ,np,,„se  that  on  n,y  intimation 

of  the  danger,  they  gave  vent  to  their  feeling,  in  uZtZ 
t.on.  and  cno,  of  dLtress.  Quito  tho  revere.  Wi  h  a 
«n.lo  on  their  lip,,  and  with  that  nnalte«blo  pea  o  of  Id 

with   the  lOTO  of  God,  they  replied  that  they  were  not 
^  jod  and  that  they  abandoned  themselves  to'the Till " 
God.    I  returned  to  the  dock.    The  wind  suddenly  ehln^^ 
and  wafted  ns  away  from  the  land.    On  the  2d  of  I,,7^ 
teered  toward,  the  eoast,  and  on  the  next  day  wo  we       ea 

Sunday  Vth  of  Apr.l,  be.ng  the  Feast  of  Easter,  the  motion 
o^  tiro  sh,p  was  so  eonsiderable  that  I  ordered  the  ^Z 
be  transported  to  a  private  eabin,  where  with  tbl.  . 
of  one  nf  *!,..  I?  .1  T  ,  ?  "norc,  with  tlio  assistaneo 
ot  one  of  the  Fathers,  I  celebrated  the  holy  mysteries  All 
recervod  the  holy  eommunion  on  that  oceasL."^  On  4e  sih 
«nd  9th  we  coasted  along  the  shores  of  Chili,  and  after  p^ 

Valparaiso  on  the  12th,  about  five  o'clock,  p.  m.         ^ 

We  remained  on  board  till  the  following  day.  The  city 
presented  a  most  picturesque  appearance.  Bnil[ on  a  an'o 
of  hrlK  ,t  presents  the  form  of  a  semicircular  amphithoaZ 
along  the  coast  The  sight  was  gratifying  to  us.  who  had 
boon  for  more  than  three  months  confined  I  the  ship  and 
had  eheU  nothing  but  sky  and  water,  with  the  oxcLion 
of  a  few  barren  coasts  and  frightful  rocks.  Early  the  n  x! 
day  I  repaired  to  the  city  to  look  out  for  lodginlfor^^ 
company.    I  soon  returned  with  the  welcome  n™f  tha  .ev 


\ 


AND  MI88IONARIKS. 


10 


eral  JcmiiU  wcro  asscniblod  in  Viilpaniiso,  where  thoy  had 
been  convened  to  mako  a  spiritual  retreat,  and  that  a  com- 
inuiiity  of  French  hidics,  helontring  to  the  Order  of  I'icimg, 
invited  tho  hidies  of  Notre  Dauie  to  lodge  nt  their  house. 
Groat  was  the  joy  with  which  all  hasti-ncd  to  tread  the 
American  soil,  and  still  greater  tho  joy  with  whicli  we  were 
welcomed  to  our  respective  lodgitigs.  Nuthing  could  exceed 
tho  kindness  and  attention  that  were  bestowed  on  us  all. 
Tho  Fathers  of  tho  Order  of  Picpus  havo  also  an  establish- 
ment here ;  for  several  years  they  havo  had  a  school,  and 
they  render  great  services  to  religion. 

On  Tuesday,  the  10th,  I  set  out  for  Santiago,  the  capital 
of  Chili,  in  company  with  tlio  Reverend  Fathers  Oomila,  Su- 
perior of  tho  Missions,  and  Landan.     Wc  had  two  carriages, 
mid  each  carriage  had  two  horses,  one  mounted  by  tho  pos- 
tillion ;  another  conductor,  on  horseback,  aided  us  in  tho 
steepest  places.    Four  spare  horses  followed  or  preceded  us 
without  rope  or  bridle,  and  never  strayed  from  the  carriages, 
though  tho  distance  between  Valparaiso  and  Santiago  is 
more  than  ninety  miles.    A  part  of  the  way  resembles  that 
of  Mount  Simplon,  and  is  much  frequented.     We  passed  a 
large  number  of  wagons  with  teams  of  six  or  eight  oxen, 
several  other  vehicles,  and  droves  of  horses,  mules,  and  asses,* 
all  loaded  with  merchandise.     Wo  crossed   two  ridges  of 
mountains  that  are  linked  to  tho  Cordilleras.     The  two  prin- 
cipal passes,  remarkable  for  their  >eight,  are  called  Cerra- 
Puerto  and  Qucsia  de  Zapato.     We  lodged  at  a  little  vil- 
lage called  Cura-cavi.    The  general  aspect  of  the  country 
between  the  two  cities  bears  some  resemblance  to  that  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  but  the  soil  is  extremely  barren.     On  the 
following  day  we  crossed  the  second  ridge  by  the  pass  da 
Prado,  and  the  torrent  of  the  same  name,  which  was  forded, 
for  bridges  are  almost  unknown  in  this  country.    It  seldom' 


^0 


WESTKHN   MISSIONS 


ran.,  m  Clnl,,  nnd  wlx,,  tho  torronU  nro  «wollon  l,y  tho 
rnolt.ng  of  t  o  „now«  or  tho  heavy  ruins,  the  connnunioation 
i«  .n..n„pt...l  f..r  a  lV^v  daya.  Al>o>.t  noo,.  wo  urrivoci  at  tho 
n.a..s.on  ot  Sonor  llul.  Tn^Io,  or.o  of  tho  .ida.t  ,>ro,,rh,tors 
of  tho  Cinlmu  li.,,ul,lic.  llo  rccoivo.l  a.ui  treatt.l  L  with 
the  grcHto.st  cordiality.  I„  tlio  ove.m,;.  ho  tu<,k  us  to  tho 
city  ,n  his  own  oarrin^.o,  which  ho  K-ft  at  our  di.sposal. 

ho  foot  of  tho  Mapocho  AfouutaiMs.  33°  35'  nouthorn  hUi- 
tudyn,  .3^  4'  longitudo  wc.t  fro.n  tho  .ueridian  of  Paris, 
2410    Spanish    foot  abovo   tho   level   of  tho  8ea.     It  wu,! 
ft^umled  by  Don  Pedro  do  Valdivia,  in  1541.     Its  stately 
edifices,  ,ts  pubhc  establi.slunonts,  and  its  con,nierco  and  r.op. 
ula  .on,  n>nounting  to  n.oro   than    lOO.OUO  souls,  and  still 
daily  increasing,  make  it  one  of  tho  principal  cities  of  South 
America.     It  is  surrounded   by  mountains  that  are  called 
tho  crown  of  Santiago.     Beyond  them  are  seen  tho  summits 
of  tho  Andes  covered  with  eternal  snows.     Tho  streets  of 
tho  city  are  largo  nnd  straight.     Tho  vast  public  square  k 
adorned  with  a  beautiful  fountain,  representing  tho  statue  of 
Liberty  crowning  another  statue  that  represents  tho  country. 
Iho  principal  cdillces  are  tho  governo.-'s  palace,  tho  mint, 
the  archiepiscopal  palace,  tho  stately  cathedral  (not  yet  com- 
pleted)  the  church  of  tho  Jesuits,  and  their  college,  which 
now  belongs  to  tho  city.     There  are,  besides  those,  ten  other 
churches  that  are  sufficiently  handsome  and  capacious.    Bo- 
fore  the  suppression,  we  had  hero  four  houses  of  the  Society 
At  present  there  are  two  convents  of  Dominicans,  two  of 
Augustinians,  three  of  Franciscans,  and  two  of  the  Order  for 
the  liedemption  of  Captives.     There  are  also  eight  monas- 
tenes  of  religious  ladies.     The  ladies  of  Picpus  are  the  only 
ones  that  keep  a  boarding-school,  conducted  on  the  same 
principles  as  that  of  Valparaiso.     They  give  a  finished  edu- 


ASD  MISSIONARIES. 


SI 


'"""  '°  "'"  >'<";"«  l"-'"^'  Mo.^'"/!  to  tl,o  (l„t  faroilio,  of 
0  c„u„try,  »„.    t  „y  give  «™t„i,o„.,  i„.tr„.,io„  ,„  „l.„„t 
tlMoc  la  ,„lr,„  cl„l,l„.„  „f  „,„  i„f„i,„  ^1,,,,,.. 

P..-..0  ,«n,l  „r„  „„„„ly  a.tHd.„d  ,o  tl.o  rolipon  '„   U,.ir 
"..•lathor,.    11,0  g„,.„r„„„„t  ,„.„,p„»  „,„|er  th„  «l,„,|ow  of 

™ce,  ,.„d  the  «„J„„  „f  „  „,,|.e„,„,„ei„a  »,!,„ tmtion. 

It  exe„,„l«  ,u  .oLctude  to  tho  ^ra„™,„-„„,,  „  .,.v.,™  tribo  be- 
yom    .bo  nvor  llobio  to  the  sou.b,  »„d  b„r,lcri„ir  on  tho 

t   o,,r^   bebgbtoni.ith  to  ,b„,o  tribe,  wbi.b  ha'o  beo„ 
0  long  lolt  ,n  da,k„o,»,  but  .bow  tbo  „,„,t  fuvornblo  di». 

n  iT",  I      T"^:'^ '"  "'"  ^""'  "f "'°  •»»io"»ric.  whom 
It  wil  plciso  Divine  I'rovidenco  to  .end  to  them 

y,dp,,nuso,  by  its  coramorco  nnd  populaticn,  about  40  OOO 
oul,,  «   ,,e  next  larg^t  city  of  Cbili.    Here,  L  in  Santiago! 
tbe  bu,ldn,gs  are  of  briek  and  but  one  .tory  bigb,  a,  earS^ 
qnakos  are  fro,,u„nt  and  violent  in  tins  country!    IW 
who  are  very  nnn.cron,,  live   in   l,u,.  tnado  of  straw  or 
bongi,.  0,  tree,.    Tbo  interior,  of  tbe  b.,„se.  of  tbo  rich  vie 
with  tbo  »o.t  .plendul  mansion,  of  tbe  European  nobility. 
Yo     re  acquainted  with  the  t„p<,grapby  „f  [|,i,  ..^^J, 
«h,cl,  on  account  of  tbe  beuuiy  of  its  .ky,  tbe  tempera- 
tu  e  0  us  cbmate,  and  the  general  fertility  o    ,.  .oilT.  c  „. 
H  orcd  one  of  tbe  most  <loli,,htful  counLes  in  tl,;  Irid. 

V into    rr'"'""'T'  '"  ^^■l"^'"^"'  »'"■"-  i»  December, 
winte.  m  June,  and  autumn  in  Marcb.    From  tbo  com' 
niencetncnt  of  spring  till  the  middle  of  autumn,  the    oavcn 
areoversereno.     The  rain,  begin  to  fall  towards  .be    „do 
Ap..l,  and  often  last  till  tbo  middle  of  September.     In  tC 
provmoo  o   Coquimbo  it  rain,  but  twice  or  thrice  a  yetr 
and  till,  onlv  for  a  few  bonr-     T„  ih- ,-,     ■  -,      ^     ' 

Ai;mn^r,„    '  , /i  ,  ,'  '     "'""  l"""nce8  01  Santiago, 

Aconcana,  and  Colcha,  rain  generally  lasts  three  days,  ^i 


S2 


£UN   MISSIONS 


U  then  Rucc«0(lea  hj  twolvo  or  fifteen  (kyg  of  fine  wonther. 
Tho  rains  nro  moro  coplmin  in  proportion  m  m  mlvanco  fur- 
ther south  towai.ls  till)  iHiti  of  Cl.iloo.  Tho  want  of  rain  in 
tho  north  i»  Htipplj.,.!  by  honvy  <hnvH  which  full  .lurin^.  the 
dry«oftsonH.  Tlio  ton.poratuio,  which  varicH  uccorUing  to 
tho  seanonM,  is  genorally  favorable  to  health. 

On  the  3,1  of  May  we  left  the  port  of  Valparaiso  with  n 
favorable  win.l,  an.l,  m  I  have  ahva,ly  mentioned,  in  eight 
day«  we  readuMl  the  harbor  of  Lima.     Tho  city  is  seen  from 
the  roads,  an.l  also  the  town  of  Callao,  nituated  on  tho  coast 
about  two   lo(.i,nu)s  from   tho  capital.     Father  Oomila  had 
ollereil  to  accompany  us  from  Valparaiso  ntul  t.)  act  as  inter- 
protcr,  for  he  speaks  Spani.,h  and  French,  and  with  him  I  re- 
paired to  tho  city  to  find  suKablo  lodgings  for  our  company, 
wlio  were  to  follow  us  on  tho  succeeding  day.     Tho  people 
of  the  city,  which  is  very  extensive,  and  contains  a  popula- 
tion of  40,000  souls,  were  soon  apprised  of  the  arrival  of 
Jesuits.     They  came  in  crowds  to  kiss  our  hands.     A  re- 
spectful oh'  gentleman  exclaimed,  "O  Fathers,  how  happy  I 
arn   to   see  my  wishes  accomplished!     You  are  the  first 
Jesuits  who  set  foot  in  my  country  since  the  suppression  of 
your  order.     May  God  bo  praised  I     Still   happier  would  I 
bo  were  you  to  remain  among  us."     Wo  went  to  lodge  at 
the  house  of  a  zealous  priest  named  Mateo  Aguilar.     On 
tho  following  day  we  paid  our  respects  to  tho  bishop  (Luna- 
pizarro),  who  has  been  presented  to  the  Komrti  .  onrt  as  suc- 
cessor to  tho  lato  archbl.i.op.     IIo  received  ns  with  ^reat 
affection,  and  spoke  in   terms  of  praise  an.  c..cem  of  our 
Society.     Wo  also  visited  the  principal  churches  and  estab- 
hshments  of  tho  city,  after  which  we  prepared  to  return  to 
Callao.     The  omnibus,  xvith  five  horses,  which  I  had  hired 
tD  rom-ey  us  from  th.     .vt  of  Lima,  was  by  some  accident 
<i.et;.rned  nearly  half  au  hour.     The  people  cmne  from  ail 


ti"cli„„.  pro.„l  thro,!^!^  2!      ""'""V''™"  '"■«•■'<''•'!- 
to",  .li".  -.1  u.  tl,o  KTOiiort  rL..„crt     Ti  ^'        "  ""°' 

^-cion „™ „.„„iLtc.,, »,„ ;  -ro'" 'z:r' ""' 

pt  )nintod  to  act  in   H.;-  ..7  ""  P**'P'«  ^ero 

Lima,  Ihoy  took  up  thrir  l«Ig,I.  at  In  of,' r"  7"^  '" 
vent.  „„„  converted  into  .IXCZ^^"'^'''"  "": 
Poure,!  ■„,„  ,he  building  „ftcr  tl  om     F^  ^''°  ""'"' 

ttoy  received  vi.it,  fronf  „„„i„7'^;,  J°  /"";-  «ve  d.y. 
«pect»b  0  families  cnm.,  »i.i.  .1   •    ■         *    '    "'"' '"°"  "" 

o«ch  other  i„  r:;rtlr.rTft ':'"''"''*'-''> 

tion.    They  were  obliged  to  accept  U.roe  "  ""'  '*'"=■ 

occompanied  by  the  DrincLl  I  T  ""^'',  """"SW  iu  which, 

the  churches  Ld  the  o  he  e  ,'T,°  ""■  ''■'^'  "'"^  "«'»<« 
.lighted  at  a.,y  place  the  nelli"^"""'  '^'""'  '^^T 
i"  .ho  c...,rche?to  ;:"  ..a  tnd?  hf-  Ti  "'"■"'  «'- 
The  humble  Sisters  received    bif  I'  ^""'''  """^  '"''"«• 

b"t  they  were  to  them  rteltf  ^"'»«^""''  "'"ota-ce. 
knows  whether  they  may  not  nT      ■  "°"'<''''«™i  """l  «ho 

.i«n»  of  Providence^tTZbt:  ZZi^TZX  '^^  ^^ 
people »    There  is  not  a  single  "X"""""' """d-he'rted 

t<.«t  devotes  its  l„bo,-s  to  te  h  hrlT"'  °t'  '"  ""'  "''^ 
.heir  want  and  desire  of  in^tc  „"„  "'^^tj'X  °«»- 
pan,o„,  to  lodge  at  the  former  coIIom  of  Tb.  «  "^  °°"'- 
St.  r„„l.,,   where  we  all  oecunied  ^  °"*^' '""'''  • 

estHbii,bme„t  is  very  extcnZ  .1  '"""'  "■"""■•    ^he 

Wocks  of  the  eitv  LTd  !  >'  ,       ""^  "»'  "^  "■«  *l»«o 
each  havi„„  .7;!!'^  !''?"^'"''.l"'-'  f""  »q"are  building. 
°        ''"  '"  ™  »"^'"e>  and  supported  by',' 


I'll 


24 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


double  colonnade.  The  roof  is  flat,  as  are  all  the  roofs  of  all 
the  churches  and  houses  in  Lima,  for  hero  it  never  raina.  At 
a  distance  the  city  with  its  numerous  domes  presents  a  beau- 
tiful prospect,  but  when  we  enter  it  all  the  buildings,  appa- 
rently witliout  roofs,  give  it  the  appearance  of  a  city  in  ruins. 
The  streets  are  drawn  at  right  angles  and  paved  with  round 
stones.  They  are  crossed  by  large  sewers  that  carry  the  filth 
to  the  river  Limac,  which  divides  the  capital.  One  of  the 
greatest  curiosities  of  Lima  is  the  fruit-markot,  by  the  abund- 
ance and  variety  of  tropical  productions.  There  are  seventy- 
two  churches  within  the  precincts  of  the  city,  including 
those  of  religious  orders,  which  are  numerous.  The  cathe- 
dral, whose  architecture  is  of  the  16th  century,  is  a  magnifi- 
cent pile.  It  fronts  the  large  public  square,  on  which  is  also 
built  their  archiepiscopal  palace.  The  other  sides  of  the 
square  are  adorned  with  rich  stores  and  colonnades.  Tlie 
main  altar  of  the  cathedral  is  a  splendid  piece  of  workman- 
ship. It  consists  of  three  rows  of  columns  supporting  one 
another,  and  plated  and  ornamented  with  silver. 

Peru  I  Land  of  gold  and  silver,  with  its  fertile  and  beau- 
tiful soil,  and  its  temperate  and  healthy  climate,  once  the 
terrestrial  paradise  of  South  America,  now  its  poorest  and 
most  wretched  region :  thy  commerce  languishes ;  the  edu- 
cation of  thy  children  is  neglected  ;  the  officers  of  thy  venal 
army  fly  from  standard  to  standard ;  the  ambition  and  faith- 
lessness of  thy  leaders  have  exliausted  thy  treasury;  thy 
chiefs,  destitute  of  patriotism,  seek  their  own  aggrandizement, 
and  oppress  thy  people ;— such  is  the  state  of  things  in  Peru 
at  present,  and  it  is  feared  the  worst  is  still  to  come. 

To-day  (16th  May,  Feast  of  Pentecost)  we  shall  leave  Cal- 
lao  to  continue  our  voyage.  We  expect  to  arrive  at  Fort 
Vancouver,  on  the  Columbia,  in  forty  days,  and  shortly  to 
embrace  the  Fathers  sent  from  Missouri.     I  shall  write  a,o-aia 


AND   MlSSIONAfilES.  25 

to  acquaint  you  with  whatever  relates  to  me  and  my  com- 
ra>nons.  Kemember  ,„e  most  af}bctiona(ely  to  tLo  Bilp 
aud  us  clergy  and  to  all  the  Fathers,  Scholastics,  and  BroZ 

ers  of  the  province  as  if  nam^fl  nn.i  i   r  . 

r  •!»  11  iiciuieu,  and  bclievo  mo  to  be  with 

great  respect  and  esteem, 

Very  Kcverend  and  Dear  Father  Provincial 

Your.most  humble,  obedient  Son  in  Jesus  Christ, 

P.  J.  Be  Smet,  S.  J. 
8 


26 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


Loiter  11. 

To  THE  Members  of  the  Central  Councils  op  Lyons 

AND  Paris. 

University  of  St.  Louis,  Juno  1,  1849. 
Gentlemen:  ' 

A  transient  visit  to  some  tribes  of  Sioux,  on  the  Upper 
Missouri,  on  my  way  back  from  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
left  in  me  an  ardent  desire  to  see  those  poor  Indians 
again.^  ^  I  was  anxious  to  judge  more  maturely  of  their 
(Jisposition,  and  ascertain  with  greater  certainty  what  hopes 
might  be  entertained  from  the  establishment  of  a  Mission 
among  them.  During  the  course  of  last  summer,  my  su- 
periors  granted  me  this  truly  consoling  privilege. 

In  order  to  reach  their  villages,  I  was  obliged  to  ascend  the 
Missouri  as  far  as  Bellevue  (a  village  situated  in  the  terri- 
tory of  the  Ottos,  610  miles  from  St.  Louis),  and  then  pur- 
sue my  journey  on  horseback,  over  immense  prairies,  for 
about  twenty-five  days.  An  excursion  through  the  magnifi- 
cent plains  of  the  great  American  desert,  and,  above  all,  in 
ihe  vicinity  of  this  noble  river,  which  descends  in  innumera- 
ble torrents  from  the  Rocky  Mountains,  offers  undoubtedly 
many  charms,  and  might  aff"ord  material  for  descriptions 
replete  with  interest ;  but  it  would  be  a  theme  on  which  I 
have  had  predecessors,  and,  moreover,  it  would  be  giving  the 
letters  which  I  have  the  honor  to  address  you  an  extent 
quite  beyond  what  I  dare  assume.  I  will  content  myself 
with  a  sketch  by  Mr.  Nicollet,  my  own  experience  enabling 
me  to  appreciate  the  exact  fidelity  of  his  picture. 


AND  MISSIONARIES.  M 

"Consider  the  boundless  fivf^nf  r.f  „ 

that  the  best  of  oJhlv^lt'      L       I  ^''"  *'  ''''''^^'' 
cat  oi  eanaiy  joys  have  their  hidden  thorn  •  Knf 

these  trials  are  rare  and  brief     A  rr^nf l.  k  ,         '     °' 

My    land-journey  commenced  at  Bellevue    nin«  ^,'1 
beyond  the  NebrisW  nr  Pw*    r.-       -"J^'^^^^ej  Bine  milca 

of  the  moU^^ktZ^  "''  '^'"'^  '°  ""^  ■»»* 


28 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


ill 


l>{    III    i: 

i! 


'i     • 


li'    I; 


the  field  0  battlc-wberc  reposed,  perlmp.,  some  ancient 
Nestor  of  the  desert.  These  monuments,  though  with  no 
epitaph  to  attest  lofty  deeds  or  transmit  names  To  posterity 
are  a  tribute  of  a  feeling  heart-a  mute  testimony  of  tlie 
respect  the  Indian  bears  to  the  memory  of  a  father  or  a 
friend,  and  of  the  value  he  attaches  to  the  glory  of  his 
ancestors.  Some  herds  of  bison  and  dense  flocks  of  deer  of 
several  species,  that  fled  at  our  approach,  alone  beguiled  ke 
tedinm  of  tho  march. 

^  It  is  customary  to  encamp  i„  places  where  the  grass  is 
fresh,  which  IS  generally  on  the  border  of  a  stream  or  pond 
of  dear  water     Care  must  also  bo  taken  for  the  safety  of 
the  horses  durmg  the  night.    To  prevent  all  accident,  fhey 
«re  hobbled-.„/„,^,  »,  the  Canadian  voyagenrs  saylthat 
.  ,  the  two  fore-legs  are  tied  together,  so  as  to  prevent  the, 
straymg  too  far  from  the  camp.     Two  or  three  men  remain 
on  guard  agamst  any  surprise  from  tho  Indians,  too  iustlv 
renowned  as  the  most  expert  of  horse-thieves.    These  sent.^ 
nels  also  protect  us  against  the  bears  and  wolves  which 
.nfest  the  wlderness,  and  incessantly  prowl  in  the  neighbor, 
hood  of  camps.    Uorses,  on  perceiving  them,  lake  fright  and 
fly,  unless  the  necessary  precautions  have  been  taken,  and 
Usomeumes  happens  that  the  most  careful  measures  ;rove 
fu  .le.    Thus  we,  one  day,  lost  a  superb  stallion  of  great 
value.    Every  evening  he  was  tied.to  a  post,  with  a  longlnd 
heavy  halter,  but  in  a  fright,  caused  by    he  approach  of 
^olves,  he  darted  forward  with  sueh  velocity  afterthe  othr' 
horses  as  they  rushed  by  him,  that  on  reaching  tho  end  of  his 
halter  he  broke  his  neck.  "  oi  ms 

two  great  mconvemences  are  sometimes  experienced-wan 
fuel  than  the  dry  b.soiKlung,  and  three  times  at  our  camp- 


AND  MISSI0NABIE8. 


29 


ing-ground  water  failed  us.  This  is  a  hard  trial  for  man  and 
horse,  especially  after  travelling  all  day  under  the  burning 
sun  of  the  mouth  of  August.     Another  kind  of  torment, 
Btill  less  supportable  when  the  heat  is  most  intense,  is  the 
appearance  of  fantastical  rivers  and  lakes  in  the  verge  of  tho 
horizon,  seeming  to  invite  the  weary  traveller  to  advance  and 
refresh  his  wasted  strength  upon  their  banks.    Fatigue  and 
thirst  picture  in  the  distance  verdure,  shade,  and  coolness 
awaiting  him.    The  illusion  increases  tho  desire  of  quench- 
ing your  burning  thirst.    You  hasten  onward  to  reach  the 
goal.     Hour  succeeds  hour ;  the  deceitful  mirage  heightens 
in  brilliancy,  and  the  panting,  exhausted  traveller  presses  on 
without  a  suspicion  that  the  phantom  flies  before  him.     la 
an  open,  elevated  region,  where  the  atmosphere  is  in  con- 
tinual agitation,  this  effect  may  be  easily  produced  by  the 
reverberation  of  the  sun's  rays  from  the  surface  of  these  vast 
prairies,  throwing  the  various  tints  of  the  verdure  upon  tho 
deep  blue  of  the  firmament. 

Besides  the  difficulties  arising  from  the  nature  of  the 
ground,  there  are  others  which  summer  always  brings  with 
its  myriads  of  insects.  Among  these,  the  most  to  be  dreaded 
is  the  gad-fly^  the  sting  of  which  will  make  the  gentlest 
horse  bound  with  rage.  Happily  for  the  horse  in  these 
plains,  Providence  has  bestowed  upon  him  a  defender  as  skil- 
ful as  devoted.  The  starling,  unalarmed  by  the  presence  of 
man,  which,  wheeling  ever  about  the  rider,  lights  on  the  back 
of  the  horse  or  on  his  load,  to  dart  with  wonderful  skill 
upon  the  malicious  insect  which  is  about  to  attack  his  travel- 
ling companion. 

For  ourselves,  we  were  obliged  towage  continual  war  upon 
the  swarms  of  mosquitoes,  and  their  allies  the  "  gnats."  The 
latter  teased  us  by  day,  the  former,  more  cowardly,  attacked 
us  by  night.    These  famished  enemies,  the  product  of  the 

80 


i 


!l 


80 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


ililill 
:  il'll 

lii 

II!  I 


Stagnant  waters  and  decaying  plants,  at  tlio  approach  of  a 
convoy,  rush  from  tlieir  infected  abodes,  and  ncconii)any  it 
with  their  plaintive  buzzing,  to  the  spot  whore  the  traveller 
seeks  m  vain  a  brief  repose  after  the  heat  and  hardships  of 
the  day.     The  winged  tribe  at  once  sound  the  trunip  of  war 
and  darting  on  their  tired  victin,,  sting,  harass,  and  pursue 
him  until  tiiey  have  assuaged  their  sanguinary  fury,  and 
obliged  the  unfortunate  traveller,  already  swelterin-  with 
heat,  to  seek  a  stifling  shelter  under  a  buffalo-robo  or  a  thick 
blanket.     One  day  I  found  myself  the  object  of  attack  of  a 
swarm  of  winged  ants.     They  came  upon  mo  with  such 
furious  impetuosity,  that  in   a   few   seconds  I  was  totally 
covered.     Then  I  waved  my  handkerchief  about  my  head 
and  soon  got  my  horse  to  leave  far  behind  us  this  phalanx  of 
black  insects,  which  filled  a  space  of  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile. 

_    To  those  who  pass  their  days  amid  the  quiet  of  domestic 
joys,  surrounded  by  all  the  delicacies  that  abundance  can 
produce,  a  journey  through  the  prairies  may  appear  a  sad 
realization  of  human  misery  and  suflering ;  but  to  the  man 
that  elevates  his  thoughts  above  earthly  and  passing  thino-s 
in  order  to  devote  himself  to  the  many  unfortunate  souls 
who  will  love  and  serve  the  true  God  when  they  know  him 
such  a  one  can  perceive  in  these  privations,  in  even  greater 
penis  and  difficulties  which  may  be  encountered,  only  slight 
annoyances,  which  he  will  prefer  to  all  the  delights  of  indo- 
lence or  the  dangers  of  wealth.     He  has  meditated  the  sub- 
hme  words  of  our  Lord  :  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  sufiereth 
violence,  and  the  violent  bear  it  away ;"  he  recollects  that  a 
Gocl  become  man-«  although  he  was  without  sin,  bore  the 
weight.      His  sufferings  finally  teach  him,  that  it  is  throno-h 
tribulations  and  sacrifices  that  he  can  enter  the  kingdom  of 


AND  MTSST0NARIE8. 


ai 


licftven^  and  conduct  thereto  those  who  may  desire  to  range 
themselves  and  die  beneath  the  banner  of  the  Cross. 

I  have  the  honor  to  bo,  with  the  most  siuccro  respect  and 
profound  esteem, 

Oentlcmep, 

Your  most  humble  and  obed't  serv't, 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


83 


WE8TEKN  MISSIONS 


Letter  111 

To    TUE    MKNfDKns    OF  TUB    CrntRAL    CoUNCILS   OF   LroNS 

AND    J'auI8. 

Oeotlkmek  :  UmvKnsiTv,  Juno  2, 1340. 

In  my  last  letter  I  spolco  of  the  annoyanco  resulting 
from  the  contiuiuil  attacks  nn.l  buzzing  of  the  mosq.iitocs 
and   brulots.       I   must  add  to  this  harsh  music  the  more 
fearful   and   more    disagreeable    noise   of  the   rattlesnake. 
Iheso  reptiles  are  frequently  met  in  the  region  styled  Mau- 
vaises-Terres,  a  very  remarkable  plateau,  of  which  I  will 
hereafter  give  a  description— and  where  the  Little  Missouri 
the  Mankizita-Watpa,  the  Terre-blanche,  and  the  Niobrarah 
take  their  rise.     Here  also  are  found  the  many-hued  chame- 
leon, the  hideous  lizard,  the  horned  frog,  known  by  the  per- 
haps  more  classical  name  of  salamander,  and  several  varieties 
of  small  tortoise.     I  witnessed  a  singular  trait  of  the  inslinct 
of  a  rattlesnake.     The  reptile  was  basking  in  the  sun,  sur- 
rounded by  eight  or  ten  little  ones.   As  soon  as  she  perceived 
me,  she  gave  the  rattle,  opened  her  throat  wide,  and  in  an 
instant  the  whole  brood  descended.     I  withdrew  some  sec- 
onds, and  then  returned ;  the  young  ones  had  come  forth 
from  their  living  tomb,  to  which  my  presence  quickly  obliged 
them  to  seek  refuge  anew. 

The  unbroken,  arid  soil  of  the  Mauvaises-Terres,  vflxmh 
will  ever  baffle  the  most  energetic  and  persevering  labor, 
boasts,  however,  of  sovei-al  millions  of  townships,  full  of  life 
and  movement— I  meun  the  villages  of  iha prairie-dog—iha 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


(S 


site  of  each  one  of  which  extends  over  nn  nrca  of  Boveral 
square  Tiiilca  of  Hinooth  table  lund,  on  which  the  grass  is  very 
short  and  thin.  Tho  iuntincts  of  this  remarkable  animal 
(which  bears  some  rosembhinco  to  tho  squirrel)  aro  at  onco 
curious  and  amusinnr.  Tho  grass  which  springs  up  in  tho 
neighborhood  of  their  dwellings  they  tear  up  by  tho  roots; 
but  tiicir  vandalism  Ims  its  exceptions.  They  seem  to  respect 
and  spare  certain  tlowcrs  which  generally  surround  tlieir  litr 
tie  abodes,  ami  give  them  a  murh  more  agreeable  look. 
These  proved  to  bo  tho  Ifedeoma  hirla,  the  Solanom  trijiorum^ 
the  Lupinun  pusillus,  tho  Erigcroti  divaricatum,  Dysodia 
chrysanthemoidcSy  Uilisia  nyctayenea^  and  tho  Panicum 
virgatum. 

They  pile  up  the  earth  around  their  dwellings  about  two 
feet  above  the  surface  of  the  soil,  thus  protecting  themselves 
against  the  inundations  which,  in  tho  rainy  seasons  or  at  the 
melting  of  the  snows,  would  engulf  them  and  their  little 
hopes.  Guided  by  instinctive  foresight,  they  carefully  gather 
all  the  straws  which  aro  scattered  over  the  plain,  and  carry 
them  into  their  subterraneous  asylums,  to  protect  them 
against  the  rigors  of  winter.  At  tlie  approach  of  a  horse- 
man, alarm  is  rapidly  communicated  to  all  tho  citizens  of 
this  singular  republic.  All  quit  their  habitations,  and  with 
head  erect,  the  ears  pricked  up  with  anxiety,  and  a  troubled 
stare,  remain  standing  at  the  entrance  of  their  abodes,  or  at 
the  opening  of  their  conical  hills.  After  a  momentary 
silence,  they  break  forth  into  one  loud  and  repeated  chorus 
of  shrill  barking.  For  some  minutes  life,  motion,  and  rest- 
less agitation  reign  throughout  the  extensive  field  they  oc. 
cupy ;  but  at  the  first  gun-shot,  all  is  tranquil,  every  ani- 
mal disappearing  like  a  flash.  A  kind  of  small  owl,  and  the 
rattlesnake,  appear  to  entertain  amicable  relations  with  tlie 
prairie-dog,  and  are  commonly  found  at  the  entrance  of  their 


! 

■ 

1 

^ 

1 

u 


WESTEBN  MISSIONS 


lodget,  and  in  the  pcnernl  friglit,  tlio  thrco  mok  safety  in  the 
uamo  asylutii.  Tho  inotivcH  mul  iiHturo  of  thin  singular  Bym- 
pathy  aro  unknown.  Tho  wolf  and  tlio  fox  are  thoir  great- 
est oncmicH. 

The  Indian  word  Mankizita-Watpa,  commonly  translated 
White  Earth  Kivcr,  signifies,  more  literally,  Smoking  Land 
Kiver;  and  in  this  region  there  aro  incontcstablo  and  uumer- 
OUB  indications  that  subterranean  and  volcanic  fires  have 
passed  there.  Tho  water  of  the  river  is  strongly  impregnated 
with  a  whitish  slime.  Wo  encamped  on  its  shore.  A  heavy 
rain  had  recently  washed  all  tho  ravines  and  dry  bods  of  tho 
rivulets  and  torrents,  which  are  abundant  throughout  tho 
Mauvuises-Terrcs,  conseciuently  tho  water  was  very  similar 
to  thin  mud.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  We  must  either  uso 
this  water  to  prepare  our  evening  repast,  or  retire  without 
toa  or  broth.  This  is  no  easy  sacrifice  in  tlio  desert,  after 
riding  on  horseback  for  tea  or  eleven  hours  in  the  scorching 
Ban.  After  many  fruitless  efforts  to  purify  the  water,  wo 
were  obliged  to  uso  it  as  it  was.  Hunger  and  thirst  mako 
us  less  dainty.  Tho  mixture  of  mud,  tea,  and  sugar,  was, 
after  all,  palatable  to  our  famished  stomachs.  On  the  mor- 
row we  travelled  all  day,  and  found  a  delicious  spring,  where 
wo  camped  all  night. 

The  Mauvaises-Terres,  in  tho  portions  which  arc  traversed 
by  the  Mankizita-Watpa,  are  the  most  extraordinary  of  any 
1  have  met  in  ray  journeys  through  the  wilderness.  Tho 
action  of  tho  rains,  snow,  and  winds  upon  tho  argillaceous 
soil  is  scarcely  credible ;  and  tho  combined  influence  of  theso 
elements  renders  it  the  theatre  of  most  singular  scenery. 
Viewed  at  a  distance,  these  lands  exhibit  the  appearance  of 
extensive  villages  and  ancient  castles,  but  under  forms  so  ex- 
traordinary, and  so  capricious  a  style  of  architecture,  that  wo 
might  consider  them  as  appertaining  to  some  new  world,  or 


AND  MISBIONARtES. 


85 


tgci  far  rcrnoto.  ITero  n  mnjontic  Gothic  towor,  Burroundod 
with  turj-cts,  risos  in  nobio  },'rntKlcur,  and  thoro  onormous 
aixl  lofty  cohitnns  socm  rcnrctl  to  Hiipport  tho  vault  of  heuvon. 
Further  ou  you  may  descry  a  furt  beaten  by  tho  tempest, 
and  surronnded  by  mantellated  walls;  its  hoary  parapets 
appear  to  havo  endured,  during  many  successive  ages,  tho 
assaults  of  tempest,  carthciuake,  and  tlmnder.  Cujjohis  of 
colossal  proportions,  and  pyramids  which  recall  the  gigantic 
labors  of  ancient  Egypt,  rise  around.  The  atmospherical 
agents  work  upon  them  with  such  ctlect,  that  probably  two 
consecutive  years  do  not  pass  without  reforming  or  destroy- 
ing these  strange  constructions.  This  clayey  soil  hardens 
easily  in  tho  sun,  is  of  a  grayish  hue,  or  occasionally  of  a 
sparkling  white  ;  it  is  easily  softened  when  mixed  with  water. 
Tho  Munkizitu-Watpa  is  tho  great  drain  of  tho  streams  of 
this  country,  and  corresponds  admirably  to  tho  name  bestow- 
ed upon  it  by  the  Indians. 

Tho  industry  of  tho  settler  will  never  succeed  in  cultivat- 
ing and  planting  tliis  fluctuating  and  sterile  soil— no  harvest 
ever  crown  his  efforts.  But  though  it  oflers  no  interest  to 
the  farmer,  and  little  to  tho  botanist,  tho  geologist  and 
naturalist  may  find  abundant  material  for  study  and  illus- 
tration ;  for  here  are  found  .uirious  remains  of  the  mastodon 
(the  hvrgest  of  known  quadrupeds),  mingled  with  those  of 
the  mountain-hare.  I  havo  seen  well-preserved  skulls, 
horns,  &c.,  so  large  that  two  men  could  hardly  raise  them. 
All  of  these  boro  tho  distinct  imi^ress  of  their  primitive 
nature. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  profound  respect, 
Gentlemen, 

Your  most  humble  and  obed't  serv't, 

P.  J.  Db  Smet, 


I 


liiiii 


86 


WISTISRN   MISSrONS 


'Liiil 


Letter  IV. 

To  TUB    DlHECTORS   Of  Till   AsBOCIATION. 

Gentlemen  :  ^"""'"^  ''  ^''  '"^'"'  ^""°  *•  "*»• 

It  remains  for  mr?  to  frWo  nomo  tletnils  conoorninj?  tho 
Indian  tribes  tluit  I  whs  al.lo  to  viHit.     In  none  of  my  pro- 
coding  voynj(o«  hrnl  I  mot  tho  Ponkahs ;  this  timo  I  found 
the  wliolo  of  thin  nati.>n  H88en.l»l..d  at  tho  mouth  of  tho  Nio- 
brartth— their  favorite  haunt  (hninjr  the  fruit  fieanon  and  tho 
gathcrinj,'  of  tho  corn  luirve«t.     The  manner  iti  which  thoy 
accosted  my  travelling  com[)anion8  augured  little  good,  and 
was  near  being  nttende.j  with  disastrous  consequences.     If 
nppears,  in.leed,  that  they  meditated  an  attack  upon  tho  lit- 
tie  troop  of  white  men  who,  numbering  |>,it  Hfteen,  escorted 
a  wagon  filled  witli  merchandise  for  the  Fur  Company.  They 
intended,  at  least,  to  pillage  tlio  convoy  and  kill  one  of  tho 
travellers,  under  pretext  that  lie  came  from  tho  country  of 
the  Pawnees,  where  one  of  tlieir  warriors  liad  lost  his  life. 
I  will  present  you  liero  tho  laconic  formula  of  reasoning  of 
one  of  these  barbarians,  while  in  tho  act  of  taking  aim  at 
his  victim.     M,j  brother  was  killed  hy  a  Patvncc  ;  thou  art 
a  notorious  friend  of  the  Pawnees/      I  must   avenge  hia 
death,  or  recover  the  debt  {value  of  his  body)  in  horses  or  in 
blankets/     To  this  degree,  unfortunately,  has  tho  idea  of 
justice  sunk  in  tho  Indian  mind.     Has  an  Indian  fallen  by 
the  hand  of  a  white  man,  every  bravo  of  that  tribe  consid- 
ers himself  justified  in  retaliating  upon  the  first  white  man 
ho  chances  to  meet,  without  regard  to  bis  country  or  the 


AND   MISSIONARrW. 


8T 


part  of  tlm  worl<l  from  which  ho  nmy  como.  I  wn«  in  ad- 
vnrioe,  bul  at  th.-  first  ni^tml  of  jilarin  I  fuoe*!  tho  point  of 
(biij?er.  At  oiico  lh«  nir  n'Hoiin.jf.l  with  roitorattxl  crion  of 
•'  The  JHack-fjown  has  come  !  The  JUack-fjown  haa  come  /'* 
Hurpriito  nii<l  curiosity  arrest  tho  work  of  pilhif^o.  Tho 
chief*  uhIc  an  oxphtnation,  and  ordur  tho  Hpoilors  to  kcop  ro- 
n|M^ctfuily  off,  and  rentoro  what  they  had  already  BtoUm; 
then  they  prcuR  around  nio  to  Hhake  hands  (a  ceremony  nomo- 
what  lengthy,  for  they  were  about  000  in  nund)or),  and  con- 
duet  us  in  triumph  to  our  oncanipmcnt  on  tho  shore  of  tho 
Niobrnrah.  In  my  turn  I  nuido  a  littlo  distribution  of 
tobacco,  which  they  apjjcarod  to  appreciate  more  than  any 
thine;  else.  Tlie  calumet  is  smoked  in  token  of  fraternal  good 
fueling,  and  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth  :  they  lavish  upf)n  mo 
as  well  as  upon  my  conjpaiiions  tho  most  touching  marks  of 
kindness  and  respect.  Such  was  tho  happy  conclusion  of  a 
meeting  whicli  at  first  inspired  us  with  such  just  fears.  But 
the  njerciful  views  of  Providenco  extended  further. 

They  besought  mo  to  visit  their  village,  four  miles  from 
our  camp,  in  order  to  pass  tho  night  with  thorn.  I  ac- 
cepted tho  invitation  tho  moro  willingly,  as  It  would  afford 
mo  an  opportunity  of  announcing  tho  truths  of  Faith.  In 
fact  I  lost  no  time,  and  shortly  after  my  arrival  tho  wholo 
tribe,  numbering  moro  than  a  thousand  persons,  surrounded 
i\xQ  ^^  Black-goionP  This  was  the  first  time  that  the  Pon- 
kahs  had  heard  Jesus  Christ  preached  by  tho  mouth  of  his 
minister.  Tho  holy  eagerness  and  attention  which  they  lent 
■  to  my  words  induced  me  to  prolong  my  instructions  until 
late  in  tho  night.  Tho  next  day  I  baptized  their  littlo  ones, 
and  when  the  time  of  separation  arrived,  they  besought  me 
with  the  greatest  earnestness  to  renew  my  visit,  and  to  fix  my 
residence  among  them.  We  toill  cheerfully  listen  to  the 
Words  of  the  Great  Sj)irit,  said  they,  and  submit  to  all  His 


J I  ill 

i   :  : 


!:l  i 


^IMm 


lillljl  ii  i:: 

II' 
I   !H 


IIIIIIUIIII 

^'11 


38 


WSSTERN  MISSIONS 


commands  that  you  manifest  to  us.  Until  thoir  wishes  can 
bo  gratified,  I  considered  myself  happy  to  find  among  them 
a  Catholic  half-breed,  tolerably  well  instructed  in  his  religion, 
who  promised  me  to  serve  as  catechist. 

This  extraordinary  attention  on  the  part  of  the  Indians, 
and  their  avidity  to  hear  the  Word  of  God,  must  appear  eur- 
prising  in  a  people  which  seems  to  unite  all  intellectual  and 
moral  miseries.  But  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  broathes  where 
it  will.  His  graces  and  his  light  prompt  and  aid  men  whom 
ignorance,  rather  than  a  perverse  and  disordered  will,  ren- 
ders vicious.  Moreover,  that  same  Spirit  which  obliged  the 
most  rebellious  to  cry  with  St.  Paul,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do  ?"  can  also  soften  the  most  obdurate  hearts, 
warm  the  coldest,  and  produce  peace,  justice,  and  joy,  where 
before  reigned  iniquity,  trouble,  and  disorder.  The  great 
respect,  and  the  marked  attention  which  the  poor  Indians 
testify  on  all  occasions  to  the  missionary  who  appears  among 
them  to  announce  the  Gospel,  are  a  source  of  much  consola- 
tion and  encouragement  to  him.  He  discovers  the  finger  of 
God  in  the  spontaneous  manifestations  of  good-will  offered 
by  these  poor  creatures. 

The  language  of  the  Ponkahs  differs  little  from  that  of 
the  Ottos,  the  Kanzas,  and  the  Osages.  Of  intrepid  and 
tried  courage,  they  have,  notwithstanding  the  paucity  of  their 
numbers,  made  themselves  feared  by  their  more  numerous 
neighbors.  They  may  with  justice  be  styled  the  Flat-Heads 
of  the  Plains,  on  account  of  their  bravery.  Although  at- 
tached by  taste  to  the  wandering  life,  they  have  begun  to 
cultivate  some  fields  of  corn,  of  pumpkins,  and  potatoes. 

Here,  then,  is  a  portion  of  the  vineyard  as  yet  untilled, 
but  which  only  waits  for  a  generous,  charitable  hand  to 
cause  it  to  yield  fruits  worthy  of  the  dews  of  heaven.  Can 
the  Lord  refuse  his  grace  and  his  assistance  to  the  apostolic 


AUD  MISSION  ABIES. 


I 


9 

man,  who  abandons  all  tlio  advantages  of  civilized  life  in  or- 
der to  teaQh,  in  the  midst  of  every  species  of  privation,  tho 
salutary  and  consoling  words  of  the  Gospel  ?     When  I  reflect 
upon  the  hopes  that  may  be  justly  entertained  of  the  Indian 
tribes  of^  tho  North  and  West  of  tho  United  States,  I  cannot 
refrain  from  blessing  tho  bounty  and  mercy  of  God,  and 
trembling  at  the  consideration  of  tlie  terrible  judgments  of 
his  justice.     While  Europe,   shaken  to  the  centre  by  the 
incessant  efforts  of  learned  impiety,  appears  to  liave  strength 
or  vigor  only  to  shake  off  the  divine  yoke  which  the  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ  has  rendered  "sweet  and  easy,"  tho  forlorn 
inhabitant  of  the  far-distaut  wilderness  lifts   his  suppliant 
hands  to  heaven,  and  in  all  the  sincerity  of  his  heart  asks  to 
know  the  true  Faith,  and  to  be  directed  in  the  path  of  true 
happiness.     While  in  the  heart  of  Catholicity  the  priests  of 
the  Most  High  sink  under  oppression.  Providence,  impene- 
trable in  its  views,  is  secretly  preparing  for  them  tho  vast 
solitudes  of  another  hemisphere.     There,  perhaps,  the  Di- 
vine Master  will  fix  his  sanctuary,  and  choose  to  himself 
new  worshippers  whoso  simple  hearts  will  offer  him  only  an 
oblation  of  gratitude  and  love. 

With  the  greatest  respect,  and  commending  myself  to 
your  kind  prayers,  * 

I  am.  Gentlemen, 

Your  most  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

P.  J.  De  Smet   S.  J 


/M? 


HH 

m 

^B 

■jl 

Mm 

J  -fi;;  gfM 

i 

^^1 

40 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


i 


III 


!        ill 


I 

III       i. 


I 


i!in' 


Letter  V. 

To  THE  Directors  of  the  Association. 

St.  Louis,  Juno  5, 1849. 

Gentlkmen  : 

It  is  time  to  pass  to  the  Sioux,  -whose  territory  I  reached 
a  few  days  after  my  visit  to  the  Ponkahs.  Mr.  Campbell, 
one  of  the  best  interpreters  in  the  country,  generously  offered 
to  accompany  me  to  the  different  tribes  of  this  nation..  His 
acquaintance  with  the  country  and  the  manners  of  the  In- 
dians, as  well  as  the  respect  and  friendship  which  the  latter 
entertain  for  him,  greatly  facilitated  my  relations  with  them. 
I  must  also  add,  as  a  tribute  of  well-merited  gratitude,  that 
the  oncers  of  Fort  Bonis  and  of  Fort  Pierre  received  me 
with  the  most  delicate  hospitality,  and  that  the  concurrence 
of  their  influence  aided  powerfully  to  render  my  intercourse 
with  tlie  savages  easier  and  more  profitable. 

I  have  several  times  observed,  in  former  letters,  that  the 
Indians  inhabiting  the  valley  of  the  Upper  Missouri,  are 
generally  more  cruel  than  those  sojourning  west  of  the 
Eocky  Mountains.  Probably  this  arises  from  their  almost 
incessant  wars,  which  inflame  them  with  a  love  of  plunder 
and  a  thii*st  for  vengeance.  At  the  epoch  of  my  visit  to  the 
Sioux,  a  troop  of  these  barbarians  were  returning  from  a  war 
against  che  Mahas,  with  thirty-two  human  scalps  torn  from 
defenceless  old  men,  and  from  women  and  children  whose 
husbands  and  fathers  were  off  hunting.  When  they  re-enter 
their  villages,  after  the  combat,  it  is  their  custom  to  attach 
these  horrible  trophies  of  their  shameful  victory  to  the  points 


!  :,!i: 


AND  MISSI0KARIE8. 


41 


of  their  lances  or  to  the  bits  of  their  Iiorses.    At  the  sirrht 
of  these  8j>oils  the  whole  tribe  shouts  with  joy,  and  every 
one  considers  it  the  highest  gratification  to  assist  at  the 
k>calp  Dance  and  Fcast-y,-\nc\x  is  celebrated  amid  the  most 
Cscorcant  yells  and  fearfid  gestures.     They  plant  a  post 
(laubcd  with  Vermillion  in  the  midst  of  the  camp ;  the  war- 
riors  surround  it,  flourishing  in  their  Iiands  the  bloody  scalps 
which  they  have  brought  back  from  the  field  of  battle  •  each 
one  liowls  lus  war-song  to  the  lugubrious  tone  of  a  largo 
drum ;  then  giving  in  turn  his  stroke  of  the  tomahawk  on 
the  post,  he  proclaims  the  victims  that  his  hatchet  has  im- 
niolated,  and  exhibits  ostentatiously  the  scars  of  the  wounds 
winch  he  has  received. 

Such  is  even  at  the  present  day,  the  degraded  condition 
of  the  unfortunate  Indian.     They  never  take  the  field  with- 
out  endeavoring  to  draw  down  the  favor  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
either  by  diabolical  rites  or  by  rigorous  fasts,  macerations, 
and  otlier  corporeal  austerities.     Tliey  even  go  so  far  as  to 
cut  off  jomts  of  the  fingers  and  toes.     Add  to  the  thick 
shade  of  heathen  darkness  a  shocking  depravation  of  man- 
ners, and  you  will  have  a  faint  idea  of  the  lamentable  posi- 
tion  of  these  wretched  tribes.   Yet  these  same  men  welcomed 
me  with  open  arms,  as  a  messenger  from  the  Great  Spirit! 
A  vivid  emotion,  depicted  in  every  countenance,  accompa- 
nied  their  respectful  attention  to  my  discourse,  while  I  in- 
Btructed  them  in  the  great  truths  of  religion. 

An  event  which  occurred  two  days  after  my  arrival  at 
l^ort  Pierre,  contributed  much  to  augment  their  confidence  ^^ 
jn  me.    I  give  it  as  it  occurred.    The  tribe  of  the  Ogallallahs  ' 
had  entered  m  a  hostile  manner  on  the  lands  of  their  nei<.h-  ' 
bors,  t^lie  Absharokes  (or  Crows),  and  had  attacked  them 
liie  latter  aefended  themselves  bravely,  routed  their  agc^res 
sors,  and  killed  ten  or  twelve  warriors.     They  had  even  em 

40 


42 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


''  ,,l    I 


i    'I, 


itill'il'!' 


ployed  a  modo  of  repulsion  which  covered  tho  tribe  that 
experienced  its  effects  witli  immortal  disi^race:  they  pursued 
the  Ooalhillas  with  rods  and  clubs.  This,  accordinj^  to  them, 
Bignifies  that  their  adversaries  ivere  worth  neither  the  lead  nor 
powder  that  would  be  expended  in  killing  them.  So  shame- 
ful a  defeat  discourages  the  Indian,  and  ho  no  longer  dares 
appear  before  such  an  enemy. 

In  this  alfair,  the  chief  of  the  vanquished  nation,  named 
the  Red  Fish,  lost  his  daughter,  who  was  carried  off  by  the 
Crows  into  captivity.     Melancholy  and  humbled,  ho  deserted 
the  wigwams  of  his  tribe,  which  loss  of  honor  and  the  death 
of  so  many  of  its  warriors  had  overwhelmed  with  mourninfr 
and  desolation.     He  presented  himself  at  Fort  Pierre  on  the 
morrow  of  my  arrival.     The  object  of  his  journey  was  to  ob- 
tain the  liberty  of  his  daughter,  through  the  mediation  of 
the  officers  of  tho  fort ;  ho  offered  eighty  fine  buffalo-robes 
and  his  best  horses  for  her  ransom.     In  his  visit  to  me, 
grasping  my  hand  firmly  m  his,  with  tears  coursing  down 
his  cheeks,  and  heart-broken  with  grief,  he  thus  ad'dressed 
me,  while  sobs  often   interrupted   his  utterance:  ''Black- 
gown,  I  am  a  most  unhappy  father!    I  have  lost  my  be- 
loved daughter.    Pity  me,  for  I  have  learned  that  the  medi- 
cine of  the  Black-gown  (the  prayer)  is  powerful  before  the 
Great  Spirit.     Speak  to  the  Master  of  Life  in  my  favor,  and 
I  will  still  preserve  hope  of  seeing  my  child:^ 

At  these  few  words,  which  tho  emotion  of  the  ag^d  man 
rendered  singularly  eloquent,  I  replied,  that  I  sym^'pathized 
with  his  sorrow,  but  that  he  must  himself  prepare  the  way 
for  the  blessing  of  Heaven— and  that  by  virtuous  deeds  ho 
might  obtain  from  the  Great  Spirit  the  accomplishment  of 
his  desires.  I  added,  that  without  doubt  the  Master  of  Life 
had  been  offended  by  this  unjust  attack  upon  tho  Crows,  of 
which  he  himself  had  been  the  chief  instigator,  in  his  posi- 


I  '' 


AND  MISSIONARIES.  43 

tion  as  Great  Chief,  and  that  to  himself  solely  he  must  attrib- 
ute  the  misfortune  of  his  chiki,  and  all  the  other  miseries 
t  ^vi.ich  had  resulted  from  that  expedition.  I  exhorted  him 
to  abandon  m  future  all  unprovoked  attacks  upon  his  neigh- 
bor, and  to  persuade  his  tribe  to  hearken  to  the  orders  of  tho 
Ore.it  Spn-it,  which  I  had  come  to  announce  to  them  I  con- 
chuled  by  speaking  to  him  of  tho  mercy  of  God,  who  always 
hoars  tho  voice  of  the  afUicted  when  they  love  and  serve  him 
also  promised  liiin  the  assistance  of  my  prayers,  and  he  on 
his  part  agreed  to  follow  my  counsels. 

Ked  Fish  returned  soon  after  to  his  nation,  and  collected 
all  the  principal  chiefs,  in  order  to  communicate  to  them 
,vhat  had  passed  at  the  fort,  and  in  particular  his  conversa- 
tion with   me,  the  mc/c.^^own,  concerning  his  daughter. 
At  that  very  moment  a  cry  of  joy  was  heard  in  the  extremity 
0    he  camp.     Ihey  ran  up  from  all  sides  to  ask  the  cause ; 
at  length  the  good  tidings  are  announced,  that  the  captive 
daughter  has  escaped  safe  and  sound  from  her  enemies.     The 
old  chieftain  scarcely  dares  to  believe  what  he  hears     He 
rises,  and  on  leaving  his  cabin  he  has  the  unspeakable  con- 
solation  of  beholding  once  more  his  beloved  child,  whom 
Providence  had  restored.     Imagine,  if  possible,  his  astonish- 
incnt  and  dehght,  shared  with  him  by  his  tribe.    Every 
hand  was  lifted  to  heaven  to  thank  the  Great  Spirit  for  the 
deliverance  of  the  prisoner.     The  report  flew  quickly  from 
village  to  village,  and  this  coincidence,  that  Divine  Provi- 
dence permitted  for  the  good  of  the  Ogallallahs,  was  to  them 
a  certain  proof  of  the  great  power  of  Christian  prayer,  and 
^.11,  I  hope,  contribute  to  confirm  these  poor  Indians  in 
their  good  dispositions. 

The  number  of  half-breeds  and  Indians  baptized  among 
the  Sioux  amounts  to  several  hundred.  I  conferred  the  same 
sacrament  upon  six  adults  far  advanced  in  years,  two  of 


44 


WESTERN  inSSIONS 


"    'I 


I!  li  ! 


I'wv 

i  :i! 


i 


'«'il 


whom  wero  ovor  ninety,  and  dwelt  in  a  little  hut  of  buffalo- 
skins,  in  which  a  poor  firo  with  difficulty  imparted  a  little 
warmth  to  tiieir  mt'inbors,  chilled  and  stiffened  with  ajro. 
They  received  mo  with  great  joy.  I  spoke  to  them  of  tho 
Great  Spirit,  of  tho  necessity  of  baptism,  of  tho  future  life, 
of  the  blessed  or  miserable  eternity  which  must  follow  this 
state  of  beinir.  They  listened  with  avidity  to  the  instruc- 
tions which  I  repeated  during  several  days,  and,  in  fiue,  re- 
ceived the  sacrament  of  regeneration.  They  were  never 
weary  of  telling  mo  again  and  again  that  they  had  never 
ceased  to  love  the  Great  Spirit,  and  that,  being  ignorant  of 
more  suitable  prayers,  they  had  daily  offered  him  the  first 
fruits  of  the  calumet ! 

This  recalls  to  ray  mind  a  fact,  insignificant  in  itself,  which 
nevertheless  proved  a  source  of  genuine  consolation  to  n.e. 
On  my  arrival  in  the  nation  of  the  Brules,  I  was  singularly  sur- 
prised to  find  myself  followed  by  a  youth  about  fifteen  years  of 
age,  whom  my  presence  seemed  to  afford  a  degree  of  pleas- 
ure which  it  would  be  difficult  for  me  to  describe.     Tho 
little  kind  encouragement,  by  which  I  corresponded  to  his 
manifestation  of  contentment,  so  effectually  conciliated  his 
affection  for  me,  that  the  eftbrts  and  threats  even  of  the  sav- 
ages who  surrounded  me,  could  not  remove  him  any  length 
of  time  from  my  person.     Scarcely  had  they  taken  him  from 
my  side  by  violence,  than  another  path  brought  him  back; 
he  even  penetrated  into  the  grand  council  of  the  chiefs,  in 
which  the  expeditious  diplomacy  of  the  Brules  agitated  the 
questions  of  which  my  arrival  among  them  required  a  solu- 
tion.    Night  came  on,  and  terminating  the  deliberations  of 
the  assembly,  obliged  me  to  withdraw  from  my  new  friend. 
His  narrow  and  flattened  brow,  his  silly  stare  and  extraordi- 
nary gestures,  gave  me  to  understand  that  he  was  of  the 
number  of  those  beings  whose  want  of  reason  is  a  safeguard 


ili: 


AND  MI88IO¥AEIE8. 


45 


ngainst  tho  loss  of  innocence,  and  I  resolved  to  regenerate 
him  on  the  jnorrovv  in  the  salutary  waters  of  baptism.  I 
tlierefore  caused  the  whole  tribe  to  bo  collected,  and  after 
giving  them  a  clear  explanation  of  the  blessings  of  the  sacra- 
ment that  I  was  going  to  confer,  I  caused  them  to  under- 
stand the  hapj)iness  that  was  in  reserve  for  all  eternity  to  a 
being  apparently  so  vile,  and  who  had  hitherto  been  only  an 
object  of  their  contempt,  or  at  least  of  their  compr'-sion. 
These  few  words  produced  a  profound  impression  upon  my 
new  auditory,  and  were  followed  by  numerous  petitions  for 
tho  grace  belonging  to  tho  Great  Spirit,  like  my  poor  friend 
Paschal  (this  was  the  name  of  the  little  idiot),  Avho  is  now 
treated  with  respect  almost  amounting  to  veneration  through- 
out his  whole  tribe.  But  not  being  able  to  remain  with 
them  longer  than  a  few  days,  I  contented  myself  with  bap- 
tizing a  great  number  of  their  children;  and  giving  the 
others  a  hope,  that  later  we  would  return  and  visit  them, 
and  that  we  could  then  instruct  them,  and  grant,  in  a  more 
useful  manner,  the  favor  which  they  solicited. 

There  is  a  custom  existing  among  the  Indians,  which  ia 
excessively  fetiguing  to  the  stranger  or  to  the  missionary  who 
visits  one  of  their  villages.  As  soon  as  he  arrives,  a  succes- 
sion of  grand  banquets  is  given  in  his  honor,  and  Indian 
politeness  exacts  that  he  accept  all  these  invitations— and 
the  savage  prepares  without  delay  the  best  and  most  delicate 
that  he  has.  The  fat  dog,  which  with  them  replaces  the  fat- 
ted calf,  is  the  most  acceptable  dish,  and  is  reserved  for  great 
occasions.  After  this,  succeed  buflfalo-tongues,  ribs,  etc.,  etc., 
and  a  great  variety  of  fi-uits,  grain,  and  roots. 

In  every  camp  which  I  visited,  I  was  conducted  ceremoni- 
ously from  banquet  to  banquet,  by  the  leading  chiefs.  Every- 
where I  was  pr^^sented  with  a  dish  so  filled  with  their  deli- 
caciua  that  each  portion  would  have  sufficed  me  during  several 


il 


46 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


II      i 


days.  All  must  bo  consumed.  This  would  bo  impossible 
were  it  not  for  the  allowance  of  the  blessed  privilege  of  con- 
ducting one  or  two  enters  with  us.  In  some  of  the  Sioux 
camps,  the  guests  arc  permitted  just  to  touch  tho  dish,  and 
then  take  it  home  to  their  cabins. 

In  the  various  camps  which  I  visited,  I  presented  each  one 
of  the  great  chiefs  with  a  medal  of  our  lloly  Father,  Pope 
Pius  IX.  On  this  occasion  I  explained  to  them  the  high 
position  of  the  Great  Chief  of  all  the  Black-goions — the 
respect,  the  veneration,  and  the  love  that  all  the  nations 
faithful  to  the  Great  Spirit  testify  to  his  vicar  on  earth,  etc., 
etc.  They  immediately  brought  the  calumet,  and  after  hav- 
ing offered  it  first  to  the  Master  of  Life,  imploring  his  bless- 
ing, the  savages,  in  their  engaging  simplicity,  presented  it  to 
Lis  visible  representative,  entreating  me  to  make  known  to 
him  tho  esteem  and  love  which  they  bear  to  him,  and  the 
ardent  desire  they  entertain  to  listen  to  the  Black-gowns  sent 
in  his  name. 

When  distributing  medals  to  the  Indians,  these  explana- 
tions become  necessary;  for,  being  naturally  inclined  to 
superstition,  they  often  treat  those  objects  with  more  than 
respect.  A  Sioux  chief  gave  i  le  a  angular  proof  of  this. 
While  I  was  suspending  the  medal  of  Pius  IX.  to  his  neck, 
he  testified  an  extraordinary  joy  and  gratitude.  ^^  I  will  place 
it,"  said  he,  "  with  my  War-Manitou  ;  it  will  render  me  as 
prudent  in  councils  durinr;  jyeace,  as  the  other  has  rendered  me 
strong  in  battle."  I  asked  an  explanation  of  these  words. 
lie  at  once  opened  a  little  box,  and  drew  forth  from  it  a 
package,  carefully  wrapped  up  in  buckskin.  He  unrolled  it, 
and,  to  my  great  surprise,  I  saw  a  colored  picture  of  General 
Diebitsch,  in  full  uniform,  and  mounted  on  a  beautiful  war- 
horse.  For  years  the  Russian  had  been  the  Manitou  of  war 
to  the  Sioux  chief;  he  invoked  him,  and  ofl:ered  him  his 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


47 


Cftluniet,  l)ef  jro  all  liis  enterpriHcs  ngaitist  his  encniicR,  and 
attiibutcd  to  him  tho  flucccss  of  tho  many  victories  he  had 
gjiiiied.  I  eiuleavored  to  disabuso  tho  poor  Indian  of  his 
strango  devotion,  and  have  reason  to  hope  that  my  cttbrta 
were  not  useless. 

As  stated  already,  I  was  sent  to  tho  Sioux  tribes  to  sound 
their  dispositions  in  a  moral  and  religious  point  of  view. 
The  little  account  that  I  have  the  lionor  of  presenting  you 
discloses  tho  result  of  my  visit.  What  I  have  narrated 
touching  these  inhabitants  of  the  desert,  offers  little  encour- 
ftgcment  to  the  missionary.  There  is  an  immense  dift'erence 
between  them  and  the  Flat-Heads,  and  numerous  other  nations 
that  occupy  tho  regions  west  of  tho  liocky  Mountains.  These 
first  children  of  my  apostolate  have  given  mo  consolations 
that  I  should  vainly  seek  among  the  Sioux.  Would,  then,  a 
mission  with  tho  latter  prove  destitute  of  success  ?  The  little 
experience  that  I  have  been  able  to  acquire,  and  my  residence 
among  them,  inspire  me  to  trust  more  coulidcutly  in  Ilim 
who  holds  in  his  hands  the  most  obdurate  hearts  and  the 
most  refractory  wills.  I  hope  that  in  the  course  of  this  year 
something  may  be  done  in  favor  of  these  degraded  Indians, 
so  long  left  without  the  aid  of  religion.  The  same  happiness 
will  be  granted  to  the  Black-Feet,  who  already  count  eleven 
hundred  neophytes.  The  pious  Associates  of  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Faith  may  contribute  greatly  to  the  accomplish- 
ment of  this  holy  work,  by  their  fervent  prayers. 

I  quitted  the  uplands  of  the  Niobrarah  and  the  Mankizita 
towards  the  end  of  October,  1848,  before  tho  season  of  rain 
and  snow.  Those  places  are  the  temporary  abodes  to  which 
the  diflferent  tribes  of  Sioux  repair  in  autumn,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  hunting  the  wild  animals,  which  abound  at  that 
time,  and  thus  provide  themselves  with  hides  and  meat  for 
the  approaching  winter.     The  consumption  of  skins  in  Mis- 


i    I 


48 


WESTEHN   MISSIONS 


1  I- 


Bonri  miiat  bo  imnion«o,  for  nil  Indians  ubo  thorn  for  con- 
Rtniclinjr  their  huts,  as  well  m  for  tho  harne«8  of  thoir 
horhoa  an<l  thoir  own  (■I.,tl,i„fy.  La«t  year,  1 10,000  buffHlo- 
robes,  with  skinH  of  elk,  gazelle,  doer,  l,i,i.-horn,  otter,  beaver, 
etc.,  and  25,000  Baited  tongues,  were  received  in  tho  ware- 
houses of  St.  Louis.  This  may  give  you  an  idea  of  the  ex- 
traordinary nund,or  of  l)utlaloes  killed,  and  of  tho  extent  of 
tho  vast  wilderness  which  furnishes  pasturago  to  those 
animals. 

Wo  set  off  in  a  skiff  from  Fort  Bonis,  which  is  near  tho 
mouth  of  tho  Little  Medicine  River.  Our  trip  was  delightful. 
The  weather  proved  magnificent,  and  tho  two  shores  of  tho 
Missouri,  teeming  at  this  season  with  an  extraordinary  quan- 
tity of  every  species  of  game,  otiered  the  most  graceful  and 
varying  spectacle,  while  it  opened  a  vast  field  to  tho  greedi- 
ness and  skill  of  our  hunters. 

At  Council  Blufts,  the  sky,  which  had  been  hitherto 
clear  and  serene,  suddenly  changed,  to  give  place  to  wind 
and  tempest,  and  thick  clouds  of  snow,  which  accompanied 
lis  during  two  days.  We  took  refuge  in  a  dense  forest, 
m  order  to  defend  ourselves  from  the  inclemency  of  the 
storm.  The  wild  honey  which  wo  found  there  was  our  prin- 
cipal  resource,  one  poplar  alone,  which  wo  felled,  furnishing 
us  with  more  than  wo  needed. 

Wo  made  but  little  progress  during  ten  days,  on  account 
of  head  winds,  rain,  and  snow.  Before  arriving  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Grand  Tarkio,  tho  Missouri  was  so  covered  witli  float- 
ing ice  that,  in  our  frail  bark,  we  were  exposed  to  the  great- 
est danger,  especially  from  the  many  sawyers  with  which  tho 
bed  of  tho  river  is  thickly  set,  and  which  discover  or  con- 
ceal their  menacing  heads  on  every  side.  These  are  trees,  or 
trunks  of  trees,  which  the  river  uproots  and  washes  from  its 
banks,  and  whose  roots  get  firmly  fastened  in  the  muddy 


! 


AND   UreslONARira.  4a 

l«'.I  of  ll,t  river.    M  tlwro  „ro  no  dike,  or  cn,I,„„I<„,onl. 

«.d.™  ,,..ru,„ river f, „ve,,i„„,„„ , ,:t;",::; 

;;:,::;i«,,.i:r """'"' '""'  "■■"■■—"  -j  -^.^t..*.  to 

I'^lc'..™   forecl  „,  t„  „1,,„„|„„  „,„  ^ 

0  h .  J„M..  .1,,  „(t„r  a  .Irivo  of  two  ,l„j.,  t|.r„„,,|,  „  „,„l 

"    : "^''■'»  "■»  Mi».u„ri.     The  ,ie,.,„or  wllh  I 

■  ""l  1«  .nee    U.ero  l„ul  departed  on  the  evo  of  „,y  „rri 

■.1,  nnd  t  ,„»  the  o,,,,„rt„„it,  „f  „  ,,r,„n,,t  return  to  St  Lou". 

'■■.yed    ,st  to  n,e.     I  resolved,  however,  to  exert  n,  .eifto 

0  t  j'niv  1  '"'""""  """'■  "  ''«'-I'^'-"'-»  «tc„„  boat 

u.taudy  doe,  appear  quite  ridiouh,u,.    J)„t  I  relie.l  u„o, 
e  ,„.au.rou,  delaj.  of  the  hoat  at  the  didereut  a     A,«k 
>  neh  were  „,ore  hkely  to  lake  ,,la,,,  also,  „,  „,„  ^1,  ;„,' 

:!;::::;:,':•  '-'«'"'"^^-"i -'«...,.,«., .our.,;:: 

I'or  four  n,ontl,s  I  had  heen  night  and  day  exposed  to  ..!,„ 
p.;  not  even  .].■    -.^.r  I,   '!  „  ^l  ^l^r id^ 

«""...K  the  whole  of  „,y  long  jou;!   '  "'■''  """^''"■"°'' 

otiioi  !::.'.!ie;.:''rt,f  Tr  "'""'•" "'"™"'  ^  ""-^  -ithout 

-«  .■..,ot  the  little  f,Ui,nes:;';;:Sitr""'""'  '"'  ' 
!'■  S.-I  subjoin  a  li.t  of  the  principal  forest  trees  found 


i   i 


IP 


AM 


fO 


WLBTEIUf   UUWIONt 


along  tho  bAiikt  of  the  ^^iMou^^,  hoping  it  may  prove  ngreo 
ftblo  tu  tho  niuiitcurs  uf  butuiiy  : 


ropiilim  an((nliitii. 
IMutimiiH  oocliloiituns. 
CuUIh  crnMMit'i>li«. 
OlodltKohiu  triuctttithas, 
KoVtlnltt  pMou'liicttolB. 
Ju)(luiit«  oliviu  foriuU. 
Coriutit  Florida. 
Azttlla  HpiiiuM*. 
flyiiuiocliitlus  Caniulonsls. 
Moriirt,  rubm  ut  ulba, 
LauruH  HUMMutVus. 
Uliniia  Amcricftrm    >il  uKpcro. 
Acer  rubrutu  ot  Hucclmrinuia, 
'DloHpyros  Virgmionu. 


Berberis  Tal^faris. 
Viburnum.    (Arrow-wood.) 
Huwthum. 
Vocciulum;  Oxycoccus. 


Cnrnni*  HoricoA. 

I'runuM. 

I'yrun  cofDriurcti. 

Coat/uiou  Aincriouna  ot  ptimitn. 

QucrcuH  pultutrla*,  luucrocurpu  il 

puiuilu. 
Botulii  tiij^ru,  pnpyrucooct  loiUi*. 
BuinbuuuH. 

Jii);luriH  Hc|uuinom)  ot  iii^^ru. 
CoryluM. 
FriixiikUM. 
rinuH. 

JunipcruH  Virjifiniano. 
Vucoiniiuii  rcBUiuttum. 
Mugtiuliu. 

nntuDfl. 

Lnunm  benzoin.    (Splco-buBh.) 

Biiniot  Biixit'rago. 

ViucH  of  ditfurunt  Hpocios. 

Elkwuod. 


I  am,  with  tho  most  profoiuul  respect,  and  esteem  tho 
most  sincere, 
Gentlemen, 

Your  most  humble  and  most  obed't  serv't, 

P  J.  Djb  Smet,  S.  J. 


AMD  uiaatoNAiirtia. 


51 


L«l((;r  V[. 
To  THE  DiracToiu.  or  tiik  Associatioh. 

(il!»Tr.KMl!K :  ''"■™»"  o,  St.  Lol»,  Juno  10,  I8«. 

,,„„  „!",;-''7 '"  '^'""'''^■!''  "'o  -I"""-™!!"...  wi,i,.h  I  i,„d  ,i„ 

..!..»  of  .,„l„u,s  „r  ,|,„  u„it.„|  st„t„,  ,  ,.,„„,„  ^„^„,      " 

0  you  «.,„,„  ,-,,,.,.  t„„. ,,  tl,o  „....„„l  conditio,,  of  .1,      ! 

''";;:," ";  "'■■'"  -^  '--"^i ...ti.  u„c.kj.  >,„, ,1 " 

"olancLoly  i„  uro  which  at  „„  very  r>.„,ot«  .nod,  ..Lita 

tl..»o  „»  ,o,„,  ,f  c.moh.„t  ,„e„,„  „,.o  not  c.,„,,l„jl,l  f,      "'^ 

v^m,n,  h„  woe.  with  which  th.y  „r„  n...Lli.    My    Wt 

0  .everal  tr,l«,  „,„1,  „b„vo  ,,11,  that  which  I  h.iely  „,  ,,  .' 

lK.,rcat  Sioux  „„,i„„,  have  „,„,  eo„fi„„c,l  th    'Jl  LC 

c  ce  „,„„„„  thee  f„™U„  chihlrc,  of  tie  foLt,  I,:]  ,"  „ 
I'Ulh.  I  have  c„„„„„„icale,I  these  view,,  in  »ubrta„te  to 
»n  honorable  agent  of  the  United  S,a,c»  Go,.ern„,e„t  wl  o 

;:  '" ■'".".  "'"'  '"••I-  »•"!  constancy  in  the  an,eii  n  Ln  of 

li.o  co„d,„on  of  the  I,„ii„n,,  and  .iL  join,,  „,    ,.        "  ^ 
-  i,«  powe,  the  „,e  of  ...eau.  to  the  l:,udal,le  .ij:!:^^ 

1  liave  trave,.,cd  at  several  different  thnes  the  va,t  plains 
-•are  ^v^tered  by  the  Missouri  and  its  prinei,,:,  'trfh     ! 

Manku  a-\\atpa,    the    Niob,-an.h,   Tchan    Saus:,n     called 

James  liiver  bv  the  whit...  t',- w,-     i  .'""'■".    called 

■■        '"o-  ,  t.,,.-  w  asaecha  or  Vemiiliion,  and 


i! 
I'  I  '' 


-I 


63 


WKSTKRN    MISSIONS 


nil 


iiii^'iiiii 

lliilH'iil 


<!l  I'l. 


I 'i  I  III 
lllljljl 

i'l' 



I||i|!|;i,|i 


the  tliree  great  superior  forks  that  constitute  the  source  of 
the  Missouri,  viz.,  the  Jefferson,  the  Gallatin,  and  the  ^^a^li- 
Bon.  Coasting  along  tlie  north  and  south  branches  of  tlie 
Saskatcliawan,  I  penetrated  tlirco  hundred  miles  into  the  in- 
terior of  the  forests  and  plains  watered  by  the  Athabasca. 
In  every  place  the  whites,  half-breeds,  and  natives,  who  in- 
habit these  regions,  agree  in  saying  that  the  builalo,  moose, 
or  American  elk,  and  deer  of  all  kinds,  diminish  in  an  alarm- 
ing manner,  and  that  in  a  few  years  these  races  of  animals 
will  have  wholly  disappeared.  The  territoiy  traversed  by 
thfj  Athabasca  furnished,  some  years  ago,  abundant  game  to 
the  greater  part  of  the  nations  of  the  Crees,  and  to  a  tribe  of 
Assiniboins,  which,  sixty  years  previous,  had  detached  them- 
selves from  the  main  body  of  their  nation.  Well,  over  this 
vast  extent  of  territory  I  met  but  three  families,  viz. — an  old 
Iroquois  with  his  children  and  grandchildren,  numbering 
about  thirty-seven ;  a  family  of  half-breeds  composed  of 
seven  persons;  and  a  Sioux  with  his  wife  and  children.  The 
Crees  and  the  Assiniboins,  hitherto  the  occupants  of  this  land, 
liave  been  forced  to  follow  the  track  oi'  the  buffalo,  and  are 
beginning  to  intrude  upon  the  territory  of  the  Black-IAjet. 
I  resided  a  long  time  among  the  Flat-Heads  and  the  Kalis- 
pels.  I  have  visited  at  different  epochs  the  Koetenays  at  the 
North,  and  the  Shoshonies  or  Snakes  at  tlie  South.  Their 
vast  territories,  watered  by  the  principal  branches  of  the 
Upper  Columbia  and  the  Rio  Colorado  of  the  West,  were 
formerly  abundantly  provided  with  every  variety  of  game, 
which  furnished  them  with  clothing  and  nourishment. 

But  now  that  the  buff^ilo  has  disappeared  from  these 
lands,  the  poor  Indians  are  obliged  to  go  and  pass  a  portion 
of  the  year  east  of  the  liocky  Mountains,  in  search  of  their 
only  means  of  subsistence.  Often,  too,  in  pursuit  of  their 
prey,  they  are  drawn  into  the  regions  claimed  by  the  Crows 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


53 


and  BlaT^k-Feot,  and  are  tlms  obli^rej  to  open  their  way 
arms  n,  Lnnd.     Tlie  Yantons  ami  the  Santios,  Sioux  tribes 
are  heguuung  to  make  inro.-.ds  on  the  hunting-rrounds  of 
the  Ihules,  a  portion  of  the  Sionx  nation.     The  Punkahs  are 
olten  driv.n  to  the  necessity  of  hunting  in  the  hinds  of  the 
Sioux  and   of  tl,e  Cheyennes.      Formerly  the  lowas,  the 
On.ahas,  and  the  Ottos  subsisted  principally  on  the  pro.Iuet 
ot  their   butlalo-hunts;  at  present  they  .re  reduced  to  the 
most  pititul  condition,  having  nothing-  for  food  but  a  small 
quantuy  of  deer,   birds,  and  roots.     Such  is   their  misery 
that  they  are  foi-ced  to  scour  the  country  in  every  direction 
and  m  little  bands,  most  happy  if  they  escape  the  ambush  of 
an  enemy  more  powerful  than  thomsclve.,  and  who  frequently 
massacre  the  old,  the  women,  and  children.     It  is  not  rare 
here  to  have  to  deplore  similar  cruelties.     Each  year  shows 
an  increase  of  these  revolting  scenes— melancholy  forerun- 
ners of  an  approaching  and  tivigical  issue. 

The  Pawnees  and  the  Omalias  are  in  a  state  of  nearly  ab- 
solute destitution.  Surrounded  by  enemies,  where  shall 
they  go  to  hunt  the  wild  animals  which  often  f  .il  tli..m  liav- 
nig  retired  to  other  sections  ?  It  is  true,  that  for  a  consider- 
able time  )t  has  been  customary  among  them  to  cultivate  a 
httle  field  of  squashes  and  corn ;  but  often,  also,  when  the 
harvest  appears  to  meet  their  expect  Mion  and  their  toil  the 
enemy  comes  suddenly  and  wrests  from  them  this  last  pitiful 
resource. 

_  The  bufi:'aIo  is  disappearing  and  diminishing  each  success- 
ive year  on  the  prairies  of  the  Upper  Missomi.  This  does 
I'ot,  however,  hinder  them  from  being  seen  grazing  iu  very 
numerous  herds  in  particular  localities;  but  the  area  of  land 
that  these  animals  frequent  is  becoming  more  and  more  cir- 
cumscribed. Besides,  they  do  not  remain  in  the  same  place, 
but  change  pasturage,  according  to  the  seasyns. 

6» 


I 


ha 


t 

.    I 


•nl 


ri 


04 


WKSTICUN   MISSIONS 


Thcnco  niiao  tlio  incui-Hioiia  wliich  Dw  Sioux  iimlco  into 
tlio  U'lritorios  of  tlio  IlifC'iries,  iIk)  Miiiidiiiis,  llio  Miiiuljirics, 
tlio  (^rows,  niul  the  Assiiiil)()iiis  ;  tlu'iico  nlso  llio  iiiiilii;il  in- 
VHsioiis  of  tlio  Crows  jind  tlm  lllack-Fi'ot  in  their  rcsiKictivo 
liiiiils.  Tlii'so  (Icproilatidiis  are  committed  by  all  tlio  waii- 
doriiinf  trihi's  of  tin;  desert,  and  jjjivo  birth  to  dissoiisioiis, 
und  to  iiK'i'ssaiit  and  bloody  wars,  which  annually  revive  and 
muliiply,  to  their  o-real,  detriment  and  misfortuiu!.  It  is  not, 
therefore,  astonishi'itj  that,  the  nuiid)er  of  these  savages  is 
gradually  deereasin^-.  ]n  the  ])lnins,  war  and  famine  lend 
their  aid;  on  the  frontier  of  eivili/.atiou,  li(]UorH,  vices,  and 
maladies  carry  them  off  by  thousands. 

I  have  visited  the  151ack-Feet,  theOrows,  Mandans,  Assini- 
boins,  the  Kicearies,  the  Minataries,  etc.,  who  possess. tho 
whole  reo'ion  of  the  Upper  Missouri  and  its  tributaries.  Tho 
contlilion  of  all  these  savages,  far  from  tho  intlueuco  of  all 
religious  and  moral  principles,  renders  them  much  alike — 
ejiisdaa  farince.  Among  (hem  all  arc  met  tho  same  cru- 
elty, the  same  barbarity,  tho  same  sloth  and  supincess,  in 
fine,  the  same  degrading  and  revolting  superstitions,  pushed 
to  (he  most  remote  limits  which  the  human  mind  abandoned 
to  itself,  and  under  tho  empire  of  vile  passions,  can  reach. 

It  is  quite  a  common  observation,  and  I  liavo  myself 
heard  it  oU'ered  by  several  persons,  that  the  "  religious  as  well 
as  the  social  condition  of  the  Indians  of  these  reffions,  is  in 
nowise  capable  of  amelioration."  I  am  far  from  pardcipa- 
ting  in  this  opinion.  Let  the  obstacles  arising  from  the  peo- 
ple who  style  themselves  civilised,  be  removed  ;  let  all  trade 
in  ardent  spirits,  that  deadly  scourge  of  the  Indian,  be  pre- 
vented ;  let  missionaries  be  sent,  wliose  zeal  is  prompted 
only  by  (he  love  of  our  Divine  Master,  and  with  no  object 
but  the  happiness  of  the  poor  souls  intrusted  to  their  care, 
and  I  um  conlident  that  in  a  short  time  we  should  have  the 


h.  -I 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


65 


con8olin{r.RpcctHclo  of  a  Rcnsihlo  improvement  among  them. 
My  porsonjil  obscrvatioim  Kcrvo  as  a  foundation  for  these 
hopcH.  I  havo  had  fnjqiiont  interviews  with  the  Black-Feot, 
the  Crows,  the  AsHinihoins,  the  Iliwjaries,  and  the  Sioux. 
'J'hcy  havo  always  lent  the  most  marked  attention  to  all  my 
words;  tluiy  have  ever  listened  to  the  holy  tnitlm  which  I 
preached  to  them  with  extreme  pleasure  and  a  lively  interest. 
'J'lioy  entreated  mo  with  the  most  captivating  ingenuousness 
to  take  compassion  on  their  miseries,  to  establish  myself 
among  them,  promising  to  join  a  faithful  practice  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truths  I  should  impart  to  them.  Among 
the  Indians  of  the  great  American  desert,  I  never  found 
even  one  who  presumed  to  rail  against  our  holy  religion. 

To  put  an  end  to  the  cruel  wais  which  decimate  these  na- 
tions ;  to  rescue  so  many  souls  from  the  baneful  consequences 
of  the  idolatry  in  which  they  are  buried ;  to  prevent  the  to- 
tal destruction  of  these  tribes  already  so  wretched,  and  yet 
redeemed  like  ourselves  by  the  precious  blood  of  our  Lord 
Jesua  Christ,  is  it  not  an  enterprise  worthy  of  inflaming  the 
zeal  of  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  ?  a  work  worthy  of  claim- 
ing the  efficient  co-operation  and  assistance  of  a  government 
as  powerful  as  is  that  of  the  United  States  ? 

As  to  agriculture,  considered  as  a  means  of  civilization,  its 
introduction  will  always  be  difficult  among  the  Indians',  as 
long  as  there  remains  to  them  a  hope  of  procuring  buflFaloes 
or  otlier  wild  animals.  It  would  prove,  in  my  opinion,  a 
chimera  to  pretend  to  introduce  this  branch  among  them  on 
an  extensive  scale  in  the  beginning.  We  know,  however,  by 
experience,  that,  although  little  habituated  to  the  fatigue  of 
the  assiduous  labor  tliat  farming  requires,  some  tribes  have 
aheady  attempted  to  cultivate  their  little  fields.  This  step 
taken,  each  year,  according  to  the  abundance  of  the  increase, 
the  limits  of  these  little  fields  might  be  extended.    Like 


I 


M 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


their  brctliren  who  reside  west  of  the  R«n;ky  Aronntaiiis,  tliey 
■would  become  more  atid  more  attached  to  the  soil  wliose 
productions  would  bo  the  result  of  (heir  toil.  Their  roviuo- 
habits,  the  wars  which  often  spring/  from  (lu-m,  would  inseir. 
Bibly  give  place  to  a  more  peaceable  and  domestic  life.  Tlio 
animals  which  they  would  raise  replacini^'  the  butlalo,  would 
insensibly  efface  its  memory  amid  surroundiiiL,''  plenty. 

During  the  last  ten  years,  a  great  p;irt  of  the  disposable 
funds  of  the  Vice-province  of  Missouri  have  been  employed 
in  the  relief  of  the  Indians.     The  liberality  of  the  Associa- 
tion for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  established  at  Lyons, 
and  those  of  our  friends,  have  assisted  us  powerfully  in  con- 
verting and  civilizing  the  tribes  beyond  the  Rocky  Mouu- 
tains.     Several  of  our  fellow-members  still  pursue  there  the' 
same  work  of  charity,  and  many  of  our  Fathers  and  Brothers 
desire. to  visit  the  tribes  which  I  visited  last  year.    An  estab- 
lishment founded  among  them  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
would  be  most  desirable ;  but  the  pecuniary  means  which 
they  have  at  their  disposal  are  very  far  from  answering  to  the 
work  which  they  contemplate.     The  lively  interest" which 
you  take,  gentlemen,  in  the  salvation  and  civilization  of  so 
many  thousands  of  men  in  the  wilderness,  inspires  mo  with 
confidence  to  appeal  to  your  generosity,  which  alone  can  fur- 
nish   the   means  of  conducting  to  a  happy  conclusion  an 
enterprise  so  vast  and  so  eminently  Catholic. 

There  are  among  these  Indians  several  hundreds  of 
children  of  mixed  blood,  whose  parents  are  anxious  that 
means  of  instruction  should  be  afforded  them.  To  attain 
this,  schools  and  establishments  would  be  necessaiy,  in  which 
agriculture  could  be  learned;  and  also  many  children  of 
pure  Indian  blood  could  be  received,  as  the  heads  of  fami- 
lies are  desirous  of  confiding  them  to  the  care  of  the  mis 
sionaries.    A  short  statistic  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the  good 


AND   MISSIONAUIES.  5^ 

whid.   m^ht  be  clone  nmon.  tbcse  Indians.    Among  the 
Llack-lcot,  lather  Point  and  n.y.self  bapti.od  ,norc  than  UOO 
h.  dren ;  a.uon.  the  "(ions  du  Sang,"  a  tribe  of  lilack-Foot,  M. 
Ih.baut  baptized  sixty  ;  the  liov.  M.  Dcliccourt,  of  Ked  liiver 
v.s,ted  Fort  lienhoid,  on  the  Missouri,  and  b;,.ii:  '.'  :^^^^ 
ninnbcr  oi  the  children  of  the  Mandans  ;  nil  the  savages  nro- 
sonted  hun  their  children  for  baptism.     F.  Ilu^ckcn,  iu  an  ex- 
cursion made  among  several  tribes  on  the  Missouri,  baptized 
over  400  persons ;  M.  IWoux,  who  visited  some  tribe;  of  Sio'x 
in  1847,  and  penetrated  as  far  as  Fort  Pierre,  was  listened  to 
everywhere  with  a  consoling  eagerness,  and  baptized  a  great 
rnany  e hddi-en.     In  my  late  tour  among  iU  Sioux,  the  Pon- 
adults  '^  '"'''"  ^^'""  300  children  and  several 

From  all  these  facts,  may  we  not  conclude,  with  sufficient 
c   tamty,  tha   these  poor  souls  seem  ripe  for  a  more  peace- 
able  hie,  and  for  a  blessed  eternity  ? 
I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Gentlemen, 

Yours,  &c., 

P.  J.  De  Saiet. 


*l 


!i!| 


58 


WKSTEltN    MISSIONS 


5<jr0tt(I  ,^tKU^, 


-♦•♦- 


i 


Letter  L 

To  THE    ClIEVALIEK  D1EUUONN6    StAS,  EdITOR  OF  THE  J0UR« 

NAL  DJS  BUUXELLES. 

'  BnussELs,  Juno  GO,  1853. 

Dear  Si*  : 

After  many  journeys  in  tlie  deserts  of  North  Araericfi, 

I  am  at  last  in  my  native  land,  happy  to  be  able  to  express 

to  the  benefactors  of  the  poor  Indian  all  the  gratitnde  of  the 

missionaries. 

Since  my  last  departure  from  Belgium,  I  have  travelled 
prairies  whtre  no  mission  had  ever  been  established — indeed, 
where  no  European  probably  had  ever  been. 

We  ascended  the  Missouri  for  about  seven  hundred  and 
thirty  leagues,  and  crossed  a  plateau  of  over  a  hundred,  on 
the  upland  that  separates  the  waters  of  the  Yellowstone 
from  those  of  tiie  Missouri.  From  the  Yellowstone  we  pro- 
ceeded southwest,  marching  about  three  hundred  leagues  to 
the  Black  Hills  and  Wolf  Mountains,  spurs  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  We  left  those  hills  at  the  great  road  leading 
from  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  California. 

On  the  2d  of  September,  1851,  we  were  on  this  highway, 
trodden  by  the  whites  hastening,  these  latter  years,  to  the 
gold  mines.  The  road  is  fine,  broad,  and  perhaps  the  longest 
iu  the  world.     On  the  track  of  the  emigrant  caravans,  you 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


69 


can  travd  easily  from  tlio  frontier  settlements  to  the  Pacific. 
This  inimciifio  avenue  is  liko  a  barn-tloor  swept  by  the  winds. 
No  bl.'ide  of  grass  springs  up,  so  unceasingly  ia  it  trodden  by 
tiio  foot  of  tiiousands  of  Auioricans  and  Europeans  hastening 
to  California.  Our  Indians,  who  had  seen  only  pathless 
wastes,  crossed  at  most  by  a  hunter's  trail,  thought,  on  be- 
holding it,  that  the  whole  nation  of  the  whites  had  passed  over 
it,  and  that  the  laud  of  the  sunrise  must  be  depopulated. 
They  could  hardly  believe  me  when  I  told  them  that  the 
multitudes  who  had  gone  were  scarcely  missed. 

I'rovidence  has  supported  my  feeble  courage,  guided  my 
steps,  1  ♦ifiod  the  seed  of  the  gospel  in  lands  which  had 
not  yet  i3ceived  them.  After  travelling  many  hundred 
leagues,  I  saw  what  good  could  be  done  among  these  wan- 
dering tribes,  always  at  war,  without  consolation  in  misery, 
because  they  scarcely  know  of  the  hopes  of  eternity.  With 
the  grace  of  God,  I  hope  to  return  next  spring  with  Bishop 
Miege,  the  Vicar-Apostolic.  We  will  be  able  to  found  mis- 
sions for  those  nomade  tribes  on  a  soil  fertile  enough  to  sup- 
port them,  and  thus  removing  occasion  of  war,  let  civiliza- 
tion, with  the  light  of  the  faith,  dawn  on  these  wastes. 

The  limits  of  a  journal  do  not  permit  me  to  enter  into 
details  on  this  expedition  to  the  Great  Desert,  on  which  I 
have  yet  published  but  one  letter ;  but  I  intend  to  publish 
more  in  the  Precis  Historigues,  published  by  Rev.  E.  Terwe- 
coren,  at  the  College  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  Brussels. 
Besides  a  notice  on  the  Mormons,  a  new  sect,  dating  from 
1820,  but  threatening  to  play  in  America  the  part  of  the 
Moslem  in  Asia,  I  am  preparing  notes  to  develop  to  Euro- 
peans tlie  almost  unknown  state  of  religion  in  that  vast  por- 
tion of  the  world,  and  to  leave  authentic  documents  on  the 
rising  church  of  the  wilderness.  I  will  varv  these  historical 
details   with   notes,   written    in    the   desert,    on    geology, 


60 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


Mi 


zoology,  botnny,  tlie  mauners,  roligion,  and  language  of  th« 
luclians. 

This  will  sin  w  what  civilized  Europeans  aro  too  ai)t  to 
forgdt,  that  Catholicity,  by  the  very  force  of  her  niibsions, 
contributes  to  the  civilization  of  nations  and  the  doveK>i)- 
nicnt  of  science.  The  government  of  the  United  States 
knows  it,  and  encourages  our  labors.  The  good  to  be  accom- 
plished is  in  every  respect  immense.  Thy  Catholics  and 
recent  converts  need  priests  to  preserve  the  faith,  the  pagans 
to  learn  the  good  tidings  of  the  gospel.  The  small  number 
of  ministers  of  the  Lord  there  does  not  suflice  for  the  ftnir 
millions  of  Catholics,  and  for  all  the  Indians  who  desire 
ardently  the  visit  of  a  LUack-gown,  to  instruct  and  baptize 
them.     I  have  come  to  Europe  to  appeal  to  generous  hearts. 

I  will  express  one  more  desire,  and  express  it  frankly.  I 
come,  too,  to  solicit  alms.  I  am  not  unaware  that  liclgium 
is  constantly  visited  by  missionaries  from  America,  tho  Indies, 
and  the  East.  I  am  conscious  that  the  benevolent  can 
scarcely  satisfy  these  repeated  solicitationa.  But  Europeans 
cannot  conceive  the  immense  want  of  succors  experienced 
in  these  countries,  to  prevent  defections,  convert  the  heathen, 
form  missionaries,  establish  schools,  build  churches,  &c. 

Consent,  sir,  to  contribute  by  your  estimable  paper,  which 
has  elicited  so  many  generous  w  .rks,  to  make  known  this 
twofold  object  of  my  coming  to  Europe,  where  I  shall  prob- 
ably remain  till  the  close  of  September. 

Your  obed't  serv't,     ' 

P.  J.  Dk  Smet,  S.  J. 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


61 


Letter  IL 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Pnfecis  IIisroniQUES,  Brussels. 

Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1851. 
I^I******  .  Univeiis,tv  of  St.  Louis,  Jan.  16,  18i32. 

On  the  7th  of  last  Juno,  acoomi)anie(l  by  #\itlicr  Cliristifin 
Ilojcken,  I  ombaikcd,  at  this  i)lace,  on  board  the  steamer  St. 
Aii.i?o,  to  go  to  the  Kocky  Afountaiiis.  The  boat  ratrto  Fort 
Union,  wliich  is  about  three  miles  above  the  nioutli  of  tlio 
River  Yellow  Stone,  on  the  northern  side,  and  about  730 
kaguos  northwest  of  St.  Louis.  Several  i)aRsengers,  mem- 
bers of  the  American  Fur  Company,  .sot  out  on  the  same 
ot^casion,  intending  to  repair  to  the  different  trading-posts 
established  among  (he  Indians  of  the  Ui)per  Missouri."  They 
took  with  them  about  eighty  men ;  these  were  principally 
Canadians,  some  were  Americans,  some  Irish,  German,  Swiss, 
and  Italians,  and  several  ''Fran^ais  de  France,''  a  title  which 
is  given  them  liere,  to  distinguish  tliem  from  the  Franco- 
Americans.  They  went  in  quest  of  earthly  wealth ;  Father 
Ilcecken  and  I  in  search  of  heavetdy  treasures— to  the  con- 
quest of  souls. 

We  had  had  a  wet  spring.  Up  to  the  moment  of  our  de- 
parture the  rain  had  been  excessive;  the  snows  and  ice, 
which  had  collected  in  heaps  during  the  rigorous -season  of 
the  more  northern  regions,  detaching  themselves  and  dia- 
solving,  in  a  very  short  time  swelled  tlie  thousand  and  thou- 
eaud  tributaries  of  the  mighty  Mississippi.    These  rivers,  one 

6 


03 


WESTEKN   MISSIONS 


iil'lor  the  ollior,  procipitutcd  tlu'lr  torrents  into  the  ^^Fatherof 
WatctH^^  and  ho  hwcUoiI  it  that  it  overflowed,  rolling  its 
iniuldy  billow.s  from  upland  to  upland,  over  n  Hurfuco  of 
oi^lit,'lit'ti!en,  and  in  several  placcH  of  twenty  miles  in  width. 
No  longer  knowing  any  huundrt,  tho  river,  usually  so  grave 
nnd  suhlimo,  disapiR'ared.  IJeneath  its  waters  also  vanished 
tho  verdure  of  the  smiling  plains,  tho  stately  forests,  and 
the  varied  spring-llowers  which  so  delight  the  eye  of  tho 
traveller.  A  vast  lake  now  covered  all  this  space;  and  tho 
immeiiHO  volume  of  water,  which  went  on  continually  en- 
larging, carried  ruin  nnd  desolation  among  tho  numerous 
habitations  whi(^  covered  tho  lowlands  on  either  shore.  Wo 
could  SCO  the  torrent  descending  with  the  violence  and  rapid- 
ity of  an  avalanche,  overturning  and  sweeping  every  thing 
with  its  nngry  waves. 

In  ordinary  times,  tho  sawyers  nnd  sand-banks  are  the 
principal  obstacles  to  navigation  in  tho  western  waters;  thoy 
had  now  entirely  disappeared,  and  gave  the  pilot  no  anxiety. 
But  other  dangers  liad  taken  their  place ;  the  whole  faco  of 
the  waters  seemed  covered  with  wrecks ;  houses,  barns, 
stables,  fences  of  fields  and  gardens,  were  borne  away,  ia 
confusion,  with  thousands  of  uprooted  trees — wood  piled  on 
the  shore  and  lumber-yards,  were  all  afloat.  In  the  midst 
of  these  floating  masses,  whoso  dangerous  contact  wo  could 
not  always  avoid,  tho  St.  Angc  used  her  whole  power  of 
steam  to  stem  an  almost  irresistible  current.  Several  times 
the  boat  was  carrietl  down  ;  twice,  especially,  it  was  a  regular 
contest  between  the  river  and  the  steamer.  The  latter,  for  a 
good  quarter  of  an  hour,  lay,  as  if  motionless,  in  the  midst 
of  the  ai^ry  waters,  but,  thanks  to  tho  quantity  of  tar  and* 
resin  with  which  her  furnaces  were  charged,  she  at  last 
triumphed. 

Amid  such  fearful  dangers,  the  remembrance  of  the  object 


AND   MlriSloNAlilKH. 


03 


of  tlio  raissiotmry'H  voynj:fo  stiRttiirm  nml  nuimatoH  liim;  ho 
knows  tliat  ho  w  in  thi-  hiiiulH  of  Him  who  can  "coniniaiul 
tho  wintirt  and  iho  kcu,''  atul  tliat  raroly  han  hoavon  pcniiit- 
totl  that  n  vt'Nsel  boaiincf  inisHionarics  shoiiM  imri.sh. 

The  iniin<hition8of  tho  riverM,tho  continual  rain»of  Hpring, 
and  the  8ii«l»lea  transitiotw  from  heat  to  cokl,  aro,  in  this 
cliniato,  Buru  procuiHora  of  malignant  fovors.  Tho  cliolom 
appoarH  to  aHHUtno  an  cpidctnic  typo  in  these  regions.  Dis- 
ease, in  many  forms,  soon  appeared  on  board  tho  St.  Ango. 
From  the  moment  of  its  advont  a  mournful  silenco  took  tho 
place  of  tho  rude  shouts  and  boisterous  conversations  of  our 
travellers.  Six  days  had  hardly  elapsed  IVoia  our  departure, 
when  tho  boat  resembled  a  lloating  hospitjd.  We  were  600 
miles  from  St.  Louis  when  tho  cholera  broke  out  in  tho 
steamer.  On  tho  tenth,  a  dork  of  the  American  Fur  Com- 
pany, vigorous,  and  in  the  prime  of  matdiood,  was  suddenly 
seized  with  all  tho  symptoms  of  cholera,  and  expired  after  a 
few  hours'  illnesn.  T'le  following  days  several  others  wero 
attacked  with  the  same  malady,  and  in  a  short  time  thirteen 
fell  victims  to  the  epidemic. 

A  bilious  attack  confined  mo  to  ray  bed  nearly  ten  days. 
Good  Father  llu3cken  devoted  himself  to  tho  sick  night  and 
day,  with  a  zeal  at  once  heroic  and  indefatigable.  He  vis- 
ited them  ;  he  assisted  them  in  their  sutieiings ;  he  prepared 
and  administered  remedies;  he  rubbed  tho  cholera  patients 
with  camphor ;  ho  heard  the  confessions  of  the  dying,  and 
lavished  upon  them  tho  consolations  of  religion.  lie  then 
went  and  blessed  their  graves  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
buried  them  with  the  prayers  and  ceremonies  prescribed  by 
the  Roman  ritual.  This  beloved  brother  had,  naturally,  a 
hardy  constitution,  and  was  habituated  to  a  life  of  privation ; 
but  the  journeys  and  continued  labors  of  the  mission  among 
the  Indians  had  greatly  weakened  it,  and  his  assiduous  and 


I 


i 


I 


i 


ili 


h      III 


64 


WEBTEUN    MiMdMNH 


fatlguinj(  attontioim  to  tlio  Hick  completely  «xliaiiHlo«l  him. 
In  vain  I  warntul  him,  l»oj?j;iiijf  him  to  iipuro  himsiir;  Imh 
zeal  Hilencetl  every  othtir  coiisidonition ;  in«tea<l  of  takiiijir 
procaiitiotm  ajruitiHt  expoHiiro,  he  seemed  to  delight  in  it.     It 
gave  mo  pain  to  «eo  him  fuilillinj;  this  hoioio  work  of  charity 
alono ;  but  I  whh  in  HUt.h  a  Htate  of  debility  that  I  was  inca- 
pable of  otftiiiiii;  him  the  leant  help.     On   the   18th,  feart 
were  entertained  that  my  ilinesH  was  asHnming  the  form  of 
cholera.     I  reqtioated  Father  Ilcecb-n  to  hear  my  confession 
and  give  mo  extreme  unction,  but  nt  the  very  moment  ho 
was  called  to  another  sick  person,  who  was  in  extren)ity. 
lie  replied,  going,  "I  see  no  immediate  danger  for  you;  to- 
morrow we  will  see."     lie  had  assisted  three  dying  ones 
that  day.    Alasl  never  shall  I  forgot  the  scene  that  occurred 
some  hours  Inter.    Fjither  Ihecken's  cabin  was  next  to  mine. 
Between  one  and  two  o'clock  at  night,  when  all  on  board 
were  calm   and  silent,  and   the  sick  in  their  wakefulness 
hoard  naught  but  the  sighs  and  m'oans  of  their  fellow-sullbr- 
ers,  the  voice  of  Father  llojckcn  was  suddenly  heard,     lie 
was  calling  me  to  his  assistance.     Awaking  from  a  deep 
sleep,  I  recogni..ed  his  voice,  and  dragged  myself  to  his  pil- 
low.    Ah  mo  1  I  found  him  ill,  and  even  in  extremity.     He 
asked  me  to  hear  his  confession:  I  at  once  acquiesced  in  his 
desire.     Dr.  Evans,  a  physician  of  great  experience  and  of 
remarkable  charity,  endeavored  to  relievo  him,  and  watched 
by  Inm,  but  his  cares  and  remedies  proved  fruitless.     I  ad- 
ministered extreme  unction  :  he  responded  to  all  the  prayers 
with  a  recollection  and  piety  which  increased  the  esteem  that 
all  on  board  had  conceived  for  him.     I  could  see  him  sink- 
ing.    As  I  was  myself  in  so  alarming  a  state,  and  fearing 
that  T  might  bo  taken  away  at  any  moment,  and  thus  share 
his  last  abode  ui  this  land  of  pilgrimage  and  exile,  I  besought 
Lim  to  hear  my  confession,  if  ho  were  yet  capable  of  listen- 


AND   MI8SIONARIK8. 


C5 


iii.ir  to  iiu>.     I  kn.  It,  l.atli.'.l  in  ti>nr«,  l.y  tlio  ilyin^  cou.h  of 
my  hiutluT  ill  Clii'iHt— <.r  my  faiil.fiil  tVi.-dd'— c.f  my  H„io 
•'..iMpariioii  ill  itiM  lorifly  dosort.    To  him  in  hin  «;^.ony,  I,  mk 
nihl  ulm.mt  .lyiii;,^  mado  my  confoRHion  I     Stivm^tli' f..iHuok 
him:  noon,  nlno,  ho  \mt  tho  j)<)Wt.r  of  Hpooch,  althoii^rh  he 
iviiiaiiii'd  HciiHil.Io  to  wh»»t  wys  paM«in^^  aroiin.I  him.    K.Mi^rn. 
ini;  m\H,.ir  to  (IikI's  holy  will,  I  rocitcl  tho  prnyern  of  tho 
a,!,'oiiiziiiir  with  tho  foimula  of  tho  plfiiary  iii<liili,^'ncfi,  which 
tlio  Church  K'lmts  at  tho  hour  of  di-alh.     Fath.-r  Horkcn, 
ripo  for  heaven,  Kturciidor.'d  ids  puro  hoiiI  into  tlin  hands  of 
his  Divino  Kcdoemor  on  tho  l!Hh  of  Jnnc,  I80I,  twolvx-days 
after  our  depailiiro  from  St.  Louin.     Who  woidd  then  havo 
foiotold  it  ?    So  ni'dont  wero  his  desires  to  hibor  for  tho  glory 
of  Ood,  that  ho  sight  .1  for  tho  wildernoHS— lio  thiixted  for 
tlio  Hftlvation  of  fioulsl     Alas!  how  many  projects  antnhi- 
hitedl    In  any  otlusr  enterprise)  it  would  havo  proved  sufll- 
cieiit  motive  for  <lisc()nfinninnr  a  perilous  journey;  but  tho 
dosiro  of  procuring  (Jod's  gl,M-y  endows  man  with  streugth 
that  nature  dtMiies  him. 

Father  Christian  lldM'ken  was  born  in  Uppor  I'.rabant. 
IIo  was  only  forly-tlirco  years  oh!  at  his  .leatli.  Tho  last  liftccn 
years  cfliis  lifo  woro  passed  among  tho  Indians,  who  had 
concoived  tho  most  profound  voneraiion  for  him.  IIo  was 
all  to  them— their  lather  in  Christ,  their  physitrian  in  illness, 
tlioir  counsel  in  dilliculties,  their  sincere  and  faithful  friend. 
When  ho  could  share  any  thing  with  his  poor  neophytes,  ho 
rejoiced  with  all  tho  simpli.'ity  of  a  child.  His  oidy  conso- 
lation was  to  bo  ajiioiig  thorn.  IIo  was  an  active  instrument 
iu^  the  hands  of  God  to  announce  his  holy  word  to  thousands 
of  pagans.  The  ehurches  that  ho  built,  and  tho  fervent  con- 
gregations of  Indians  that  lie  collected  and  formed,  attest 
his  fervor,  and  iho  apostolic  zeal  which  ainmated  him.  His 
liuly  death  ciownod  all  his  labors.     A  martyr  of  charity,  ho 


^1 


C6 


WESTERN  MISSI0N8 


exercised  liis  sacred  ministry  to  his  very  agony.  Sad,  but, 
salutary,  will  ever  be  tlie  remenibranco  of  that  last  solemn 
and  alt'ecting  hour.  What  friends  could  ever  otier,  or  take  a 
more  touching  or  more  religious  farewell  ? 

The  passengers  were  deeply  moved  at  the  sight  of  tlio 
lifeless  corpse  of  him  who  had  sy  lately  been  "  all  to  all,"  ac- 
cording to  the  language  of  the  apostle.  Tlieir  kind  father 
quilted  them  at  the  moment  in  which  his  services  seemed  to 
be  the  most  necessary.  I  shall  always  remember  with  deep 
gratitude  the  solicitude  evinced  by  the  passengers  to  the 
reverend  father  in  his  dying  moments.  My  resolution  not 
to  leave  the  body  of  the  pious  mis^sionary  in  the  desert,  was 
unanimously  appi'oved.  A  decent  coflin,  very  thick,  and 
tarred  within,  was  prepared  to  receive  his  mortal  remains :  a 
temporary  grave  was  dug  in  a  beautiful  forest,  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Sioux,  and  the  burial  was  per- 
formed with  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  Church,  in  the  even- 
ing of  the  19th  of  June,  all  on  board  assisting. 

About  a  month  after,  on  the  return  of  the  St.  Ange 
■which  passed  near  the  venerated  tomb,  the  coffin  was  ex- 
humed, put  on  board  of  the  boat,  and  transported  to  the 
Novitiate  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  at  Florissant.  There  re- 
pose the  mortal  remains  of  Father  Iloecken,  with  those  of 
his  brethren.  His  death,  so  precious  in  the  sight  of  God, 
saddened  the  hearts  of  the  passengers,  but  for  many  it  was 
a  salutary  sorrow.  A. great  number  had  not  approached  tho 
tribunal  of  penance  during  long  years;  immediately  after 
the  funeral,  they  repaired  one  after  another  to  my  cabin  to 
confess. 

Five  more  passengers  were  al.>^o  fatally  attacked,  but  re- 
ceived bi-fure  expiring  the  consolations  of  my  ministry.  The 
hmguor  and  weakness  to  which  the  fever  had  reduced  me, 
quilted  me  insensibly :  after  a  lapse  of  some  days  I  found 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


67 


myself  perfectly  recovered,  so  that  I  was  able  to  celebrate 
mass  on  board  and  devote  my  whole  time  to  the  sick. 

As  the  boat  ascended  the  river  and  penetrated  further  into 
the  country,  attaining  tlie  higher  and  more  open  portions  of 
the  Indian  territory,   the  epidemic  gradually  disappeared. 
We  could  again  give  a  little  time  to  the  contemplation  of 
the  beauties  of  the  wilderness,  to  reflections  on  the  future  of 
these  interesting  solitudes— above  all,  of  their  poor,  despised 
inhabitants.     I  will  describe   them   in   my  future   letters. 
Thoy  will  inform  you  whatever  striking  or  edifying  events 
happened  in  my  relations  with  the  Indians  during  the  long 
and  dangerous  journey  which  I  have  just  terminated. 

Accept,  etc., 

P.  J.  De  Smet. 

P.  S.— The  following  notice  of  the  death  of  Rev.  F. 
Hcecken,  from  "The  Shepherd  of  the  Valley,"  a  weekly 
journal,  is  atti-ibuted  to  His  Grace  the  Archbishop  of  St. 
Louis : 

"  The  Rev.  Father  Christian  Hoecken,  of  the  Society  of 
Jesus,  died   of  cholera,   on  board   the   St.  Ange,  on  the 
Missouri.     Those  only  who  have  had  the  happiness  of  an 
acquaintance  with  the  deceased  can  form  any  idea  of  the  loss 
religion  has  sustained  by  his  death.     To  the  knowledge  of 
several  Indian  languages  he  joined  a  perfect  understanding 
of  the  manners,  prejudices,  and  predilections  of  the  savages. 
He  showed  the  most  devoted  attention  to  their  interests,  as 
well  temporal  as  eternal.     lie  enjoyed  a  robust  constitution,  ; 
united  with  a  great  enei-gy  of  character,  which  induced  him  ' 
to  undertake  without  hesitation  any  work  that  seemed  likely 
to  redound  to  an  increase  of  the  glory  of  God.     The  quali- 
ties which  most  distinguished  Ir.m  amid  his  labors  and  pri- 
vations were-  his  admirable  frankness,  his   simplicity,  his 


1) 


68 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


sound  jiulfrment,  an  evcr-joyons  and  peaceful  disposition  of 
mind  and  licart,  and  an  inipei'turhablo  contentinont,  which 
the  author  of  this  notice  has  never  Ibund  to  the  same  degree 
in  any  individual.  It  would  bo  impossible  to  find  a  niission- 
nry  more  apostolic,  and  wo  are  convinced  J;hat  the  illustrious 
Society  of  which  he  was  a  member,  counts  no  more  faithful 
and  fervent  religious  among  her  children." 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


69 


Leller  HI. 

To   THE  Editor   of  the   Pk^cis  IIistoiiiques,  Brussels. 

Trav*U  in  the  Great  Desert^  1851. 
XV^***^: .  Univeusitv  OF  St.  Louis,  January  18,  1852. 

The  mouth  of  tlir  river  Thitte,  or  Nebraska,  is  the  point 
of  division  between  tlie  Upper  and  Lower  Missouri.  To  ihe 
early  navigators  on  tlie  river  it  was  a  kind  of  equinoctial, 
where,  as  at  sea,  the  Neptunian  tribute  was  exacted  of  all 
porJc-eaters,  as  all  were  styled  who  visited  the  desert  for  the 
first  time.     No  one  could  escape. 

The  flat  country,  or  the  valley  of  the  Missouri,  is  covered 
with  dense  forests  extending  from  the  bank  of  the  river  to 
the  high  hills  that  skirt  it  on  either  side  for  from  four  to  six 
mik's  in  width.  The  foi-ests  are  successively  replaced  by 
nourishing  cities,  tine  villages,  and  thousands  of  beautiful 
farms.  This  alluvial  soil  is  probably  unequalled  on  the 
earth  for  the  richness  of  some  of  its  productions.  The 
wood  is  in  great  demand.  As  the  country  is  settled  and  trade 
becomes  more  important,  steam-mills  increase  and  prepare 
all  kiuds  of  timber  and  boards;  the  steamboats,  too,  con- 
sume immense  quantities  of  wood. 

Between  the  Nebraska  and  the  Wasecha,  or  Vermillion, 
for  about  four  hundred  miles  the  forests  are  vast  and  beauti- 
ful, often  intersected  by  licli  prairies  of  turf  and  verdure. 
This  contrast  delights  the  traveller.     Everv  time  he  entei-s 


\iw 


f  H 


'  1 


70 


"WESTEEN  MISSIONS 


the  desert  he  cannot  refrain  from  atlmirin.T  this  succession  of 
forests  and  i)l4iins,  thi.s  series  of  hills  which  encircle  tiieni 
and  present  such  a  variety  of  forms,— here  and  there  covered 
with  trees  and  underwood  of  a  thousand  kinds,  sometimes 
rising,  bold,  rugged  cliffs,  to  the  height  of  one  or  two  hun- 
dred feet,  and  then  noble  plains,  ascending  gradually,  with 
scattered  groves,  so  pleasing  to  the  sight  that  art  seems  to 
Lave  crowned  the  woik  of  Nature.  We  wonder  that  we  do 
not  see  farms,  barns,  and  fences.  Surely,  one  just  from 
Europe  would  think  liimself  on  the  demesne  of  some  great 
lord,  and  would  be  amazed  at  not  seeiug  the  mansion  and 
its  appurtenances. 

Nature  seems  to  have  lavished  its  gifts  on  this  region  ;  and 
without  being  a  prophet,  I  can  predict  a  future  far  unlike 
the  past  for  this  desert.  The  words  of  the  Psalmist  will 
be  soon  applied— "The  earth  was  created  for  the  abode 
of  man,  and  to  manifest  the  glory  and  perfection  of  tho 
Lord." 

These  plains,  naturally  so  rich  and  verdant,  seem  to  invite 
the  husbandman  to  run  the  furrow,  and  promise  an  ample 
reward  to  the  slightest  toil.  Heavy  forests  await  the  wood- 
man, and  rocks  the  stone-cutter.  The  sound  of  the  axe  and 
hammer  will  echo  in  this  wilderness ;  broad  farms,  with  or- 
chard and  vineyard,  alive  with  domestic  animals  and  poul- 
try, will  cover  these  desert  plains,  to  provide  for  thick-com- 
ing cities,  which  will  rise  as  if  by  enchantment,  with  dome 
and  tower,  church  and  college,  school  and  house,  hospital 
and  asylum. 

I  speak  here  principally  of  the  region  from  the  mouth  of 
the  river  Kansas  to  that  of  the  Niobrarah  or  Uau  qui  coule, 
and  extending  beyond  the  Black  Hills,  continuing  along 
their  crest  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  thence  it  follows  south- 
wardly the  already  existing  limits  of  Utah,  New  Mexico,  and 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


71 


Texas.  This  region  contains  sevornl  large  rivers,  with  nu- 
merous tributaries,  the  principal  of  which  are  the  Platte,  the 
two  rivers  just  named,  and  the  liead-watcrs  of  the  Arkansas, 
Osage,  and  Red.  These  present  the  greatest  inducements  to' 
civilization. 

Will  not  the  President  of  the  Republic,  like  some  of  liis 
predecessors,  pluck  some  plumes  from  the  Indian  eagle,  once 
the  emblem  of  their  greatness  and  power,  to  place'them  in 
the  crown  composed  of  the  trophies  of  his  administration  ? 
In  the  limits  which  I  trace  he  will  find  an  extent  of  country 
vast  enough  to  be  represented  by  three  or  four  stars  more  of 
the  first  magnitude,  which  will  enhance  the  lustre  of  the 
galaxy  of  the  flag  of  the  Union.  This  great  territory  will 
hold  an  immense  population,  destined  to  form  several  great 
and  flourishing  States. 

But,  then,  what  will  become  of  the  Indians,  who  have 
already  come  from  afar  to  abide  in  this  land?  What  will 
become  of  the  aborigines,  who  have  possessed  it  from  time 
immemorial?  This  is,  indeed,  a  thorny  question,  awaken- 
ing gloomy  ideas  in  the  observer's  mind,  if  he  has  followed 
the  encroaching  policy  of  the  States  in  regard  to  the  Indian. 
I  have  remarked  with  pleasure  one  ray  of  hope  in  the  future 
for  these  poor  and  wretched  tribes.  They  readily  send  their 
children  to  school ;  they  make  rapid  progress  in  agriculture, 
and  even  in  several  of  the  most  necessary  mechanical  arts ; 
they  carefully  raise  poultry  and  domestic  animals.  We 
may  then  hope  that  the  sad  remnant  of  these  numerous  na- 
tions, who  once  covered  America,  now  reduced  to  earn  their 
bread  in  the  sweat  of  their  brow  (for  they  can  no  longer 
wuosist  by  hunting),  will  find  an  asylum,  a  permanent  abode, 
and  will  be  incorporated  with  all  the  rights  of  citizens  of 
the  Union.  It  is  their  only  remaining  chance  of  well-beino-; 
humanity  and  justice  seem  to  demand  it  for  them.     If  they 


72 


WESTEUN   MISSIONS 


are  ngain  ropollod  and  hnnislicd  fiirtlier  inland,  they  will 
perisii  inlallil)!)'.  Tiio  Indians  who  lefuso  to  snbniit  or  ac- 
cept the  definitive  arrani^eniont,  alone  favorable  to  them, 
v/onld  resume  the  wanderinnf  Ijtb  of  the  plains,  and  close 
their  sad  existence  as  the  bison  and  other  animals  on  which 
they  live,  vanish. 

In  the  neio^hborhood  of  the  Mankizitah,  or  White-earth 
River,  the  liilis  are  blackened,  and  evidently  owe  this  ap- 
pearance to  subterraneous  fires.  The  s(#il  is  light  and  sterile 
for  about  a  hundred  miles;  the  high  hills  have  little  verdure, 
and  tho  bottom  or  valley  is  very  narrow.  Some  of  the  hills 
may  even  be  called  mountains. 

The  islands  of  the  Missouri  are,  in  general,  well  wooded, 
and  present  on  all  sides  most  agreeable  views.  On  some  is 
found  the  red  cedar,  the  most  durable  wood  of  the  country, 
lasting  longer  than  any  other  when  plunged  in  water  or 
buried  in  earth.  If  we  except  the  space  between  the  Nio- 
brarah  and  Mankizitah,  where  the  low  prairies  are  rare,  and 
where  the  upland  is  almost  entirely  unwooded,  this  district 
lias  many  fine  sites,  which  seem  to  invite  the  pioneer,  and 
Bay,  "The  time  is  not  far  off;  here  you  will  raise  your 
cabin  and  till  your  field."  Coal  is  also  very  abundant,  and 
will  supply  the  failure  of  the  forests. 

From  the  Mankizitah  to  the  great  bend  of  the  Missouri, 
and  thence  to  Fort  Mandan,  and  even  above  the  mouth  of  the 
Yellowstone,  on  both  banks,  the  country  is  very  fine  ;  the 
fertile  soil  gives  most  abundant  crops.  Ilere  and  there,  on 
the  banks  of  the  great  rivers,  the  forests  are  pretty  finc,^ 
while  in  the  upland  plains,  as  you  recede  from  the  river, 
the  country  is  destitute  of  trees,  and  even  of  bushes. 

In  my  visits  to  the  Indian  tribes,  I  have  several  times  trav- 
ersed the  immense  plains  of  the  West.  I  have  travelled 
over  various  sectious,  from  the  frontiers  to  th;  Pacific,  and 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


78 


from  the  iru.lsou's  Bay  territory,  along  tho  Saskatchewan 
and  Athabasca,  to  Groat  Salt  Lake,  now  the  head-quartora 
of  tho  Mor.no,.s.  Ever^ime  that  I  have  travelled  over 
these  plains,  I  l,avo  found  myself  amid  a  painful  void;  Eu- 
iop.8  thousands  of  poor,  who  cry  for  bread,  and  wander 
without  shelter  or  hope,  often  occur  to  my  thoughts.  "  Un-  ' 
I'Hppy  poor,"  I  often  cry,  "why  are  ye  not  here?  Your' 
industry  and  toil  would  end  your  sorrows.  Hero  you  might 
rear ^  a  siniling  home,  and  reap  in  plenty  the  fruit  of  your 
toil.  Yes,  tins  void  exists ;  and  when  I  sav  it  must  be  filled 
by  an  industrious  and  persevering  population,  I  concur  with 
tlie  experience  of  all  travellers. 

It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  describe  the  sorabro 
silence  that  reigns  in  this  vast  desert.     You  may  pass  weeks 
there,  on  the  march,  without  meeting  a  living  soul.    And 
yet  we  become  habituated  to  it-like  it.     Solitude  seems  to 
give  scope  to  man's  intellectual  faculties ;  the  mind  seems 
more  vigorous,  the  thought  clearer.    It  has  always  seemed 
to  me  that  when  one  travels  over  the  plains,  he  feels  more 
inclined  to  prayer,  meditation,  confidence  in  God,  more  dis- 
posed to  resign  himself  into  the  hands  of  Him  avIio  alone  is 
our  refuge  anud  perils,  and  who  alone  can  provide  for  all  our 
wants.     Doubtless  the  removal  of  all  bustle  and  business,  the 
constant  dangers  to  which  we  are  exposed  from  wild  animals 
and  enemies,  liable  to  be  met  at  every  step,  contribute  to  this. 
It  has  often  been  remarked  that  the  songs  of  the  birds  are 
more  sweet  and  agreeable  here  than  in  the  forests  of  the 
east.     This  phenomenon  is   capriciously  attributed  to  the 
etfects  of  society.     From  the  scarcity  of  wood,  the  birds  are 
iorced  to  perch  on  tho  same  tree,  or  seek  the  same  grove 
and  thus  teach  each  other.     It  is  commonly  supposed  that 
the  birds  in  Europe  are  better  singers  than  those  in  America: 
can  this  be  attributed  to  any  other  cause  than  that  just  given  ? 

7 


74 


W£ST£iUi   MISSIONS 


» 


If  you  would  have  an  idea  of  the  topoj^aphy,  vastnesg, 
and  extent  of  our  western  plains,  imagine  France,  Oeiniaiiv, 
Belgium  changed  into  one  single  |l^irio,  along  watercourses, 
and  intersected  here  and  there  by  a  wood  of  small  extent,  or 
by  a  very  small  forest. 

You  will  excuse  these  little  digressions  on  the  localities  I 
have  traversed.  They  will  show,  withal,  to  our  unbelievera 
in  Europe,  that  science  and  civilization  may  find  their  ac- 
count in  voyages  undertaken  for  the  good  of  souls  and  tho 
glory  of  the  Church.  And  then,  too,  all  these  fair  and 
varied  objects  make  us  incessantly  bless  heaven,  and  say, 
with  the  Psalmist,  "  The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness 
thereof." 

At  last  we  reached  tho  Great  Bend,  where  tho  boat  came 
to  land  opposite  a  camp  of  lantons,  a  powerful  tribe  of  the 
Sioux  nation.  As  soon  as  these  Indians  perceived  us,  they 
broke  out  into  cries  of  joy,  and  honored  our  arrival  by  seve- 
ral volleys  of  musketry.  Their  women  had  prepared  a  great 
quantity  of  dry  wood :  we  accepted  it  thankfully,  and  they 
received  in  return  a  present  of  tobacco,  lead,  flour,  coffee, 
and  sugar-  -the  articles  they  prize  most 

The  Indians  gave  us  the  sad  tidings  of  the  ravageii  which 
the  small-pox  was  then  causing  at  Post  Bonis  and  its  neigh- 
borhood, near  Little  Medicine  River,  which  empties  into  the 
Missouri  at  the  upper  bay  of  the  Great  Bend.  This  bend  is 
thirty-six  miles  in  circumference,  while  it  is  only  four  miles 
across  by  land.  At  my  request,  the  captain  put  me  ashore, 
and  two  hours  after  I  was  among  the  sick.  I  spent  the 
night  with  them,  giving  them  all  the  consolation  in  my 
power.  Some  believed  that  the  disease  resembled  the  great 
plague  in  London.  The  survivors  long  retained  black  spots. 
Even  during  this  contagious  disease,  the  Indians  retained 
their  old  custom  of  giving  a  last  abode  to  the  dead,  by 


placing. 

Hcatfuldt! 

them  t!i 

most  in 

those  CO 

They 

had  bt'ci 

of  tho  Ic 

by  his  a( 

still  aliv 

and,  like 

lavished 

to  see  hi 

Some 

shore,  sc 

Louis,  an 

The  infill 

panic  ha 

in  tho  ne 

mediately 

many.     ' 

from  this 

the  child 

around  t 

eighty- tw 

The  sa 

Some  con 

Bprefid   al 

eases  on  1 

their  feai 

usual  den 

from  two 

rolled  ech 


f'5 


AND   MI88IONAUIK8. 


75 


placing  .the  body,  wrapped  in  a  blanket  or  buffalo-robo,  on 
Bcaffolils  raised  eight  or  ten  feet  above  tiie  plain.  They  left 
them  thus  exposed  to  tlie  biirnini^  heat  of  a  July  sun,  tlie 
most  intense  of  the  year.  The  pestilential  exhalatious  of 
these  coi'iKses  infected  the  air  for  miles  around. 

They  showed  me  in  their  camp  a  little  orphan  boy  who 
had  been  altaijked,  and  who,  given  up,  had  been  turned  out 
of  the  lodge  in  the  midst  of  the  night,  during  a  fearful  rain, 
by  his  adoptive  father,  a  cruel  and  unfeeling  man.  He  was 
still  alive  in  the  morning,  when  a  Canadian  perceived  hira, 
and,  like  the  good  Samaritan,  carried  him  to  his  hut  and 
lavished  the  most  constant  care  on  him.  I  had  the  pleasure 
to  see  him  recovering,  and  to  baptize  him. 

Some  days  after,  I  waa  at  Fort  Pierre,  situated  on  the 
shore,  south  of   the  Missouri,  about  1500  miles  above  St. 
Louis,  and  near  the  mouth  of  the  Schicah,  or  Bad  River. 
The  influenza  had  existed  for  some  time  in  the  fort,  and  a 
panic  had  seized  many  at  the  news  that  the  small-pox  was 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  cholera  on  boai'd.     In  fact,  im- 
mediately after  we  started,  the  last  broke  out  and  carried  oflf 
many.     The  Indians,  awe-struck  at  the  approach  of  danger 
from  this  implaaible  scourge,  were  overjoyed  at  my  presence; 
the  children  of  the  whites  and  of  the  Indians  encamped 
around  the  fort  were  presented  to  me,  to  the  number  of 
eighty-two,  to  be  regenerated  in  the  lioly  waters  of  baptism. 
The  same  inquietude  reigned  at  the  post  of  the  Arickaras. 
Some  couriers  had  announced  the  approach  of  the  boat,  and 
sprec-id  alarm  by  reporting  that  there  were  contagious  dis- 
eases on  board.    But  when  the  people  saw  that  all  were  well, 
their  fears  vanislied,  and  they  welcomed  the  boat  with  the 
usual  demonstrations  on  such  occasions.    Cries  of  joy  burst 
from  two  thousand  mouths ;  volleys  of  cannon  and  musketry 
rolled  echoing  over  the  plains.    The  scene  was  beautiful  and 


Hi 


1 1  '■ 

W  H 

I 

1 

i 

t 


I' 


IB ' 

1' 

i 

( 

76 


WESTKUN    MlSSlOSfi 


impo-^ing.  The  fori  htnndH  nn  a  high  hill,  nenrly  a  htindrcd 
fcot  fibovo  thf  la', c'l  of  iJiO  river.  A  long  row  of  Indiiins,  ia 
their  jj;uyust  oi8tume«,  their  fnccn  duubcd  with  various  colors, 
lined  the  hIiuio. 

1  had  giillo|t<,'d  on  in  ntlvance  of  the  boat,  to  have  time  to 
instruct  the  half-breeds  and  Cauadi»iTi«  md  baptize  all  their 
children.  I  spent  two  days  among  tiionj,  A  ^r^ai  nnniber 
of  Indians,  learning  of  my  arrival  at  tiio  fort,  cmuo  to  bhako 
han<l»  with  mo  from  respect,  and  to  bid  mo  welcome.  At 
the  same  time  they  earnestly  begged  mo  to  grant  their  little 
children  tho  same  benefit  of  baptism  that  I  liad  granU^d  tho 
half-breed  children.  I  yielded  to  their  wiwht's,  in  conse- 
quence of  tho  great  danger  in  vvhieli  they  were.  The  num- 
ber of  baptisms  was  about  two  hundred.  Not  lonff  after.  I 
heard  that  the  cholera  had  swept  through  the  village  of  the 
Arickaras,  and  that  many  of  the  children  had  fallen  victims. 
What  a  consolation,  that,  by  tho  sacrament,  I  unlocked  tho 
gates  of  heaven  to  them  ! 

We  now  bade  farewell  to  the  officers  of  the  fort,  to  plungo 
further  into  the  desert.  lilro  long  we  passed  tho  Mandan  vil- 
lage, composed  of  largo  huts  covered  with  earth.  This  onco 
numerous  nation  is  now  reduced  to  a  few  families,  tho  only 
survivors  of  the  small-pox  of  1838.  Their  village  lies  1800 
miles  above  the  mouth  of  tho  Missouri,  two  hundred  below 
the  mouth  of  the  Yellowstone.  Some  days  after,  we  stopped 
at  Fort  Berthold,  to  land  some  goods  at  tho  great  village  of 
the  Minataries,  or  Osier  tribe,  nicknamed  the  Gros  Ventres 
of  Missouri.  Their  cabins  are  built  like  those  of  the  Arick- 
aras and  Mandans.  Four  forks,  or  rather  four  forked  trees, 
set  in  the  ground,  about  twenty  feet  apart,  form  a  square. 
These  are  joined  on  top  by  cross-pieces,  over  which  other 
pieces  are  laid  obliquely,  leaving  a  great  opening  in  the  cen- 
tre, to  admit  air  and  give  vent  to  the  smoke ;  these  pieces 


long. 


AND  MreSIONAKIRS. 


77 


are  wdven  together  with  o»ior» :  th«)  whole  in  covorod  with 
hay  and  cHith—not  with  tiirf,  howovcr.  Ati  opening  k  made 
oa  one  sido  to  leceivo  tho  door,  which  coiiHists  of  a  bison- 
skin.  lioforo  tho  door  in  a  sort  of  alloy,  ten  or  fifteen  feet 
long,  iucIoHfd  by  pickets,  and  easily  deftindod  in  case  of 
attack.  In  tjjo  middle  of  the  lo.lgf,  under  tho  uppf  r  open- 
ing which  adinitH  the  lifrlit,  a  hole  uhout  a  foot  deep  is  dng 
to  answer  as  a  fiivi)lace.  Around  tho  lodge  there  are  beds', 
one,  two,  or  three  feet  from  the  tloor,  with  doc-skin-s  as  cur- 
tains. The  whole  village  is  surrounded,  by  a  high  and  strong 
pallisado  of  largo  trees,  squared. 

Tho  Minatarios  raise  Indian-corn,  srjunshes,  beans,  and  po- 
tatoes. Tho  other  permanent  villages  on  the  Missouri  aro 
tl  080  of  the  Osagos,  Omahas,  I'onkahs,  Pawnees,  Arickaras, 
and^Mandans.  The  Minataries  are  of  the  same  stock  as  the 
Crows,  and  speak  about  tho  same  language.  They  say  that 
they  separated  in  consequence  of  a  dispute  between  two 
chiefs,  over  a  bison  that  both  claimed  to  have  killed  on  a 
hunt. 

Tho  great  chief  of  the  latter  village,  called  Four  Bears,  is 
tho  most  civil  and  affable  Indian  th.it  I  met  on  tho  Missouri. 
He  begged  me  to  baptize  his  two  children  and  several  members 
of  his  fatnily.  All  the  children  of  this  tribe  had  been  bap- 
tized by  Rev.  Mr.  Bellecourt,  a  zealous  and  untiring  mission- 
ary of  the  Vicariate  Apostolic  of  lied  River,  which  is  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  Mgr.  Provencher.  Rev.  Mr.  Bellecourt 
has  visited  tli  so  tribes  several  times,  and  met  with  great  suc- 
cess in  disp  ,ing  them  in  favor  of  our  holy  religion.  I 
learned,  to  my  consolation,  that  in  all  probability  admission 
would  be  soon  established  there,  with  one  or  two  resident 
priests,  under  the  direction  of  Mgr.  Provencher.' 

The  place  is  admirably  well  chosen,  and  the  benefits  of 

religion  will  easily  spread   thenco  amouo-  tJm  noio-lil.nrin^ 

_     --  _---j ^ 

7« 


78 


N   MISSIONS 


V 


R  i 


'4  f 


nntionfl,  mch  m  tbo  Mundnns,  Arictnrnfl,  and  AMini!)oinn. 
Tht'HO  trilKH  (<viti(:«<  giVHt  onj^oiricHH  U)  lionr  tho  W(»i(l  of  OoU 
ami  to  bo  inHtnicU'<l  in  our  lioly  faith,  wlicnovor  a  Catholio 
nuNsioiuiry  vIhIu  llioin.  In  K'ln >[»<),  tlio  pri'ivlusrH  utul  culo- 
chiHts  imist  use  u  tliouHfind  ino.nm  to  win  luulitoiH;  hero  inon 
call  prit!»t«  to  instruct  thotn.  They  nro  OHgur  for  thifi  nour- 
iHhinont  of  tho  8oul,  this  tvorU  of  God,  that  so  inntiy  othort 
dcipiso  I  Whut  an  nwful  account  of  this  heavenly  IxsiH-fit 
must  bo  OIK)  day  rentlt<red  by  men  of  all  ages,  espeeiallv  the 
younj^,  for  whom  reljgiouH  teaching  abounds  in  tho  churches, 
colleges,  and  schools  of  ICnropo  I 

On  tho  1 4th  of  .Inly,  the  steamboat  St.  Ango  reached  our 
destination.  Fort  Union.  This  post  is  situated  at  48"  N. 
I  had  tl>on  to  make  all  my  preparations  and  take  all  my  pro- 
cautions  for  my  long  journey  on  land.  Yet,  withal,  I  found 
time  to  instruct  and  baptizo  twenty-nine  littlo  children,  be- 
tween Fort  Union  and  Fort  William,  which  are  only  three 
miles  apart.  I  said  mass  daily  at  tiio  fort,  and  gave  an 
instruction. 

Yours,  &c., 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


,11  h 


AND   MUSION ABIES. 


70 


Letter  IV, 

To  THE  Editor  op  tke  I*Kftcia  IIistoriques,  BRUsssLa. 
Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1851. 

(OONTIMUBU.) 


6m 


UNnrMsiTY  or  St.  Locib,  January  20,  1852. 


Tho  whole  forenoon  of  the  aist  of  July,  the  day  on  which 
the  Church  celehnites  tho  Feast  of  St  Ignatius,  founder  of 
the  Society  of  J^huh,  was  employed  in  making  preparations 
for  our  journey  into  tho  interior  of  tho  country.  Mr.  Cul- 
bertson,  superintendent  of  the  forts  on  the  Mississippi  and 
tho  Yellowstone  rivers,  is  a  distinguished  man,  endowed 
with  a  mild,  benevolent,  and  charitable  temper,  though,  if 
need  bo,  intrepid  and  courageous.  lie  has  always  given  me 
nifirks  of  kindness  and  friendship,  but  most  particularly  in 
this  last  tour.  IJeing  at  the  head  of  our  troop,  he  was  able 
to  aid  mo  in  my  project. 

We  numbered  thirty-two  persons ;  the  greater  part  were 
Assiniboins,  Minatarics,  and  Crows,  who  were  repairino-  to 
the  great  Indian  council  to  be  held  in  tho  vicinity  of  Fort 
Laramie,  and  by  the  same  route  that  we  had  chosen,  and 
which  was  scarcely  less  than  800  miles  in  length.  Two 
four-wheeled  wagons  and  two  carts,  for  transporting  our  pro- 
visions and  our  baggage,  composed  our  whole  convoy.  The 
four  vehicles  were  in  all  probability  the  first  that  had  ever 
crossed  this  unoccupied  waste.  There  is  not  the  slightest 
perceptible  vestige  of  a  beaten  track  between  Fort  Union 


i'lB! 


80 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


i: 


ii' 


m  y  I 


and  tlic  Red  Bnttes,  whicih 

IGl  miles  west  of  Fort  Laiviniie. 


nro  on  the  route  to  Oregon,  and 


lUvmg  dined,  we  crossed  tlio  river  with  our   barro-ao-e 
lo  ow,ng  the  course  of  one  of  the  little  trihutaries  of  the 
1  cilowstonc,  we  advanced  about  six  miles.     We  had  with  us 
a  skilfid   lumter,  of  the  Black-Feet  tribe,  and  he  made  a 
happy  commencement  by  bringing  us  two  fine  deer  as  the 
first  frmts  of  his  ability.     The  mosquitoes  attacked  us  on  all 
sides,  leaving  us   no  repose.     We   were  forced  to  combat 
them  continually  with  branches,  handkerchiefs,  and  smoke. 
IhG  last  IS  the  most  efficacious  weapon  for  dissipating  these 
sangmnary  insects,  but  it  is  at  the  same  time  the  most  diffi- 
cult for  the  traveller  to  support.    Night  came  on,  and  brouHit 
with  It  a  terrible  storm.     The  thunder  rolled  above  our 
heads  and  the  clouds  discharged  torrents  of  water. 

On  the  1st  of  August,  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning  we 
resumed  our  route.      We  took  all  possible  precaution  to 
avoid  meeting  any  hostile  band.     The  Indians  who  accom- 
pamed  us  kept  their  eyes  on  the  earth  to  discover  any  re- 
cent   tracks   of  an   enemy.     An   extraordinary   experience 
gives  them  an  admirable  tact  in  detecting  trails  which  are 
imperceptible  to  others.     The  foes  that  our  travelling  com- 
panions dreaded  most  in  the  section  we  were  about  to  trav- 
erse, were   the  Black-Feet  and  the  Sioux.    After  breakfest- 
ing  m  the  neighborhood  of  the  source  of  the  Fox  River  we 
journeyed  from  morning  till  night  over  hilly  and  undulatino- 
plains,  bounded   by  ranges  of  hills  which  stretch  from  the 
Yellowstone  to  the  Missouri.     From  time  to  time  wo  descried 
promontories  in  the  distance,  which  serve  as  guides  to  the 
traveller.     At  the  close  of  the  day  we  pitched  our  camp  at 
the  base  of  the  Tetons  of  the  Yellowstone.     These  T-tons 
derive  their  name  from  a  group  of  lofty  hills  situated  in  one 
of  those  delightful  valleys  -/hich  arc  numerous  in   the.e 


AND  MISSIONARIES.  ^ 

parts,  and  which,  being  surrounded  by  trees     nd  shrubbery 
of  various  kinds,  form  a  most  agreeable  contrast  to  the  phiins 
that  we  had  just  left  behind  so  destitute  of  wood  and  water. 
Wild  fruit,  such  as  plums,  cherries,  gooseberries,  sorbs,  buf- 
talo-berries,  or  Shepherdia  angelica,  abound.     Among  the 
vegetables  and  roots  we  noticed  the  Psoralea  mulenta,  or 
lireadroot :  its  white  apple,  and  its  charming  white,  oval  bios- 
som,    nearly  three   inches  in  circumference,  is   universally 
found  in  tins  uncultivated  solitude,  and  would  deserve  a  placo 
in  a  garden  of  choice  plants;  the  savages  value  it  highly. 
The  wild  onion  and  the  sweet  onion  bear  handsome  flowers ; 
these  plants  would  undou'  tedly  improve  with  culture.    The 
roots  of  the  water-arrow  {Sayittaria  riffida),  and  those  of 
the   wild   Lily   of    the    Valley   {Convallaria  borcalis),   are 
equally  prized  by  the  Indians,  who  call  them  Swan  potatoes, 
i  eanuts  arc  also  a  delicious  and  nourishing  root,  found  com- 
monly in  low  and  alluvial  lands.    The  above-named  roots 
torm  a  considerable  portion  of  the  sustenance  of  the^e  In- 
dians during  winter.     They  seek  them  in  the  places  where 
the  mice  and  other  little  animals,  in  particular  the  ground- 
squirrel,  have  piled  them  in  heaps. 

The  musquitoes  tormented  us  greatly  during  the  day.  Thev 
especially  worried  our  horses  and  mules,  which  were  literally 
covered  with  them.  For  us,  we  had  taken  measures  against 
their  attacks  by  covering  our  heads  with  sacks  formed  of 
coarse  gauze. 

^  The  distance  between  the  Tetons  and  Fort  Union  is  about 
eighty  miles.  We  saw  very  few  deer,  and  from  time  to  time 
an  antelope  or  buck  was  roused  from  repose  and  fled  at  our 
approadi.  Traces  of  several  kinds  of  bear,  especially  the 
grizzly  bear,  are  very  common ;  the  latter  are  found  in  the 
woody  places  and  along  the  streams  and  rivulets.  We  suc- 
ceeded m  killing  three,  not  without  great  eflbrt  and  danger 


.,'1 


82 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


f 


Our  hunter  brought  us  two  fine,  fat  antelopes,  which  were 
soon  dressed  and  served  up  for  our  supper.  One  of  the  In- 
dians killed  a  skunk  (Mephitis  Americana).  The  strong 
odor  of  this  animal  is  intolerable  to  the  whites ;  the  savages, 
on  the  contrary,  appear  to  like  it,  and  deem  its  flesh  exquisite. 
How  true  is  the  proverb  :  De  gustibus  non  disputandum  ! — 
there  is  no  accounting  for  tastes. 

On  the  2d  of  August  we  set  out  at  break  of  day,  and 
were  fanned  by  a  refreshing  freeze.  The  country  through 
which  we  progressed  was  full  of  interest :  the  valleys  were 
covered  with  a  luxuriant  verdure,  intermingled  with  flowers 
of  various  hues.  Groves  of  cotton-wood,  elm,  and  ash,  as 
well  as  groups  of  service-trees  and  cherry-trees,  offered 
themselves  along  the  beds  of  dry  rivers  and  streamlets.  We 
afic*;nded,  step  by  step,  the  hills  which  separate  the  waters  of 
the  Missouri  from  those  of  the  Yellowstone,  like  so  many 
i'jsuperable  barriers  furrowed  with  profound  ravines.  "VVe 
triumphed  over  these  obstacles  with  great  difficulty,  and  at 
ioijgth  attained  the  summit  of  the  hills.  There  a  most  mag- 
nificent spectacle  unrolled  itself  before  our  eyes.  Nature 
has  accumulated  in  this  spot  a  great  variety  of  her  most  fan- 
tastical caprices.  On  one  side  is  displayed  a  succession  of 
beautiful  prairies,  here  and  there  interrupted  with  groves  of 
stunted  ti'ees  and  shrubs,  and  terminating  in  verdant  hills 
dotted  with  groups  of  cedar  and  pine ;  on  the  other  are 
shapeless  heaps  of  red  and  white  clay  and  piles  of  stones, 
which,  viewed  at  a  distance,  resemble  brick-kilns,  from  their 
peculiar  color :  although  thrown  together  without  any  appa- 
rent order,  they  add  much  interest  to  the  landscape. 

The  region  through  which  we  passed  for  several  days  fur- 
nished evident  proofs  that  it  has  been  strongly  volcanic,  even 
at  a  very  recent  date,  for  the  surface  is  still  covered  with 
lava  and  scoriae,    I  counted       raany  as  seventy  conical  hills, 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


83 


from'twenty  to  a  hundred  feet  in  height,  grouped  in  one  sin- 
gle plain  and  in  the  space  of  from  four  to  five  miles :  they 
had  evidently  gone  through  the  ordeal  of  fire.  Some  of 
these  hills  were  composed  of  cinders  that  the  earth  in  her 
fiery  convulsions  appeared  to  ha/e  vomited  from  her  centre. 
Several  times,  after  having  gained  some  miles  on  the  heights, 
we  found  ourselves  suddenly  facing  an  almost  perpendicular 
descent,  formed  of  rock  and  white  clay,  down  which  we  had 
to  let  our  vehicles  by  hand.  We  then  entered  into  a  chain 
of  valleys  and  fertile  prairies  watered  by  springs  and  rivulets, 
and  embellished  with  the  cotton-wood,  elm,  ash,  cedar,  and 
pine ;  in  other  places  the  summits  of  the  hills  are  remark- 
able for  their  beauty,  and  the  rich  undulating  plains  for  their 
abundant  verdure. 

On  the  fourth  day  of  our  march  we  descried  thousands  of 
bison ;  the  whole  space  between  the  Missouri  and  the  Yel- 
lowstone was  covered  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Hith- 
erto the  musquitoes  had  greatly  tormented  us,  but  now  they 
entirely  vanished.  We  sought  the  cause  of  this  phenome- 
non. The  Indians  told  us  that  the  absence  of  our  winged 
enemies  was  owing  to  the  prodigious  number  of  buffaloes 
which  were  grazing  in  the  neighboring  plains,  and  which  at- 
tracted these  insects.  In  fact,  we  saw  these  nobie  animals 
throwing  the  earth  on  their  bodies  by  means  of  their  horns 
and  feet,  or  rolling  themselves  in  the  sand  and  dust,  and  thus 
filling  the  air  with  clouds,  in  the  endeavor  to  rid  themselves 
of  their  vexatious  followers.  The  lot  of  these  animals  ap- 
peared bad  enough,  for  they  were  pursued  day  and  night. 
During  a  whole  week  we  heard  their  !/ellowings  like  the 
noise  of  distant  thunder,  or  like  the  murmurs  of  the  ocean- 
waves  beating  against  the  shore.  It  may  be  said  that  it  is 
the  country  in  which  the  buft'alo  and  herds  of  deer  are  f^en- 
erally  found  in  the  greatest  abundance.     A  good  hunter 


84 


WESTERN  MISSIONS. 


Ir       t 


might  easily  kill  here,  in  the  course  of  a  day,  several  cows, 
deer,  a  inountain-goat,  a  red-tailed  and  a  black-tailed  buck, 
an  antelope,  hares,  and  rabbits.  lie  might  fire  twice  upon 
a  grizzly  bear,  and  perhaps  meet  a  gray  and  a  silver  fox. 
To  this  list  of  animals  we  may  add  the  beaver,  otter,  badger, 
prairie-dog,  ariti  several  kinds  of  wild  fowl,  principally  pheas- 
ants and  grouse.  It  is  easy  to  see  that  our  hunters  possess 
the  power  of  selecting  a  repast.  In  truth,  we  regaled  our- 
selves with  what  was  most  delicate,  and  left  a  great  quantity 
of  flesh  in  the  plains  for  the  benefit  of  the  vultures  and 
wolves,  whose  bowlings  and  rejoicings  already  resounded  on 
every  side. 

An  Assiniboin  gave  us  a  singular  proof  of  his  dexterity  in 
the  chase ;  I  cannot  forbear  mentioning  it.  Alone  ^^nd  on 
foot,  he  stealthily  approached  a  large  herd  of  bison  cows. 
As  soon  as  he  was  near  enough  to  them  to  allow  of  their 
hearing  him,  he  began  to  imitate  the  cry  of  a  young  calf. 
At  once  the  cows  ran  towards  the  place  of  concealment  of 
the  ingenious  hunter,  and  he  killed  one  of  them.  The  troop, 
alarmed,  withdrew  hastily  and  in  great  disorder.  He  re- 
loaded his  rifle  and  renewed  his  cry ;  the  cows  stopped,  re- 
turned as  if  by  enchantment,  and  he  killed  a  second.  The 
Assiniboin  assured  us  that  he  could  easily  have  taken  more 
by  the  same  stratagem,  but  thinking  two  cows  were  enough  ' 
for  us,  he  suffered  the  rest  to  go.  ' 

^  Travellers  in  these  upper  regions  enjoy  an  excellent  appe* 
tite.  I  have  been  more  than  once  astonished  at  the  enor- 
mous quanUty  of  meat  that  a  man  is  capable  of  consuming 
without  injury  to  his  health ;  it  would  hardly  be  credited  in 
Europe.  One  and  even  two  buff"alo-tongues,  a  side  of  veni- 
son or  other  meat,  &nd  some  additional  trifles,  are  not  con- 
sidered a  large  portion  for  one  meal. 
On  the  7th  of  August  we  crossed  lands  intersected  with 


And  MI88IONAEIES. 


83 


numerous  ravines  and  dried  streams.  The  soil  was  much 
lighter  than  that  we  last  trod ;  it  was  covered  with  a  species 
of  wild  artemisia,  or  wormwood — an  infallible  mark  of  ster- 
ility. The  aspect  of  all  the  ravines,  shores,  and  beds  of 
rivers  and  streams,  as  well  as  that  of  every  eminence,  proves 
that  there  are  numerous  veins  of  mineral  coal  in  this  section. 
The  observations  that  I  made  on  the  quality  of  the  soil,  in- 
duce me  to  believe  that  these  deposits  of  coal  extend  as  far 
as  the  numerous  coal  mines  which  exist  in  the  territories 
watered  by  the  Saskatchewan  ctnd  Athabasca  Lake,  of  'vhich 
I  have  already  spoken,  in  my  letters  in  1845  and  1846,  after 
travelling  over  those  places. 

Evident  tokens  convince  the  traveller  that  the  immense 
plains  that  he  is  crossing,  and  on  which  not  even  a  shrub 
grows,  have*  not  always  been  destitute  of  wood.  Petrified 
trunks  and  entire  trees  frequently  meet  the  eye.  Astonish- 
ment and  admiration  seize  the  mind,  and  excite  conjectures 
concerning  the  manner  in  which  these  changes  have  been 
wrought.  But  what  answer  offer  to  the  question,  "  Why 
are  not  these  lands  wooded  as  they  must  have  been  in  for- 
mer times  ?"  The  steppes  of  Asia,  the  pampas  of  South 
An:  jrica,  and  the  western  prairies  of  this  hemisphere,  seem 
to  possess  a  common  and  uniform  character;  generally  speak- 
ing, they  have  neither  trees  nor  shrubs  on  them.  Some 
observers  attribute  it  to  the  act'  n  of  frequent  fires  which 
have  passed  over  these  localities ,  others  to  the  change  un- 
dergone in  the  climate,  or  to  the  natural  sterility  of  the  soil ; 
and,  in  fine,  there  are  some  who  pretend  that  some  operation 
or  convulsion  of  nature  has  destroyed  the  forests  which  for- 
merly existed  here,  and  has  .educed  them  to  their  present 
condition.  I  have  examined  different  localities;  and  the 
enormous  heaps  of  shells  of  the  testaceous  kind  and  of  the 
genus  miiscula,  which  I  found  some  feet  distant  from  the 


86 


WESTEBN    MISSIONS 


U     .! 


summits  of  the  loftiest  hills,  and  which  were  incorporated  in 
alluvial  earth,  and  mingled  with  sand  and  water-worn  peb- 
bles, convince  me  that  this  portion  of  land  has  undergone 
changes  as  great  as  they  are  amazing. 

On  the  same  day  we  traversed  a  mountainous  elevation 
which  stietches  as  far  as  the  Owl-head  Buttes.  These  buttes 
or  mounds,  in  this  ocean-like  prairie,  serve  as  guides  to  tho 
warrior,  the  traveller,  and  the  hunter,  who  can  perceive  them 
thirty  miles  off.  From  the  summit  of  this  extensive  eminence 
we  contcnplated,  with  pleasing  wonder,  the  "  White  Earth 
country,"  or  clay  plains  of  tho  Yellowstone.  From  south  to 
north  thfey  measure  from  thirty  to  forty  miles.  When  on 
this  height,  the  imagination  discovers  the  ruins  of  ancient 
villages,  and  one  seems  to  see  confused  rows  of  broken  col- 
umns, forts  with  their  turrets  and  bastions,  towers,  domes, 
walls  in  decay,  castles,  and  edifices  of  every  sort.  Some  of 
these  pillars  of  red  and  white  hardened  clay  rise  to  an  eleva- 
tion of  from  50  to  100  feet.  It  would  have  gratified  me 
much  to  have  passed  one  or  two  days  in  an  attentive  exam- 
ination of  these  volcanic  productions.  I  presume  that  the 
soil  is  not  unlike  that  near  the  White  Earth  River,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Missouri,  and  that  it  contains  the  same  species  of 
interesting  fossils. 

Similar  tracts,  which  have  ceased  to  be  volcanic,  are  found 
in  the  environs  of  the  superior  sources  of  the  Rivers  Arkan- 
sas, Platte,  etc.,  and  of  the  Big  Horn,  a  brauv  h  of  the  Yel- 
lowstone. Near  the  source  of  the  River  Puante,  which 
empties  into  the  Big  Horn,  and  the  sulphurous  waters  of 
which  have  probably  +1  e  same  medicinal  qualities  as  the 
celebrated  Blue  Lick  Springs  of  Kentucky,  is  a  place  called 
Colter's  Hell— from  a  beaver-hunter  of  that  name.  This 
locality  is  often  agitated  with  subterranean  fires.  The  sul- 
phurous gases  which  escape  in  great  volumes  from  the  bum- 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


8T 


ing  soil  infect  the  atmosplioro  for  several  miles,  and  render 
the  earth  so  barren  that  even  the  wild  wormwood  cannot 
grow  on  it.     The  beaver-hunters  have  assured  mo,  that  the 
underground  noises  and  explosions  are  often  frightful.    How- 
ever, I  think  that  the  most  extraordinary  spot  in  this  respect, 
and  perhaps  the  most  marvellous  of  all  the  northern  half  of 
this  continent,  is  in  the  very  heart  of  the  llocky  Mountains, 
between  the  43d  and  45th  degrees  of  latitude  and  109th  and 
111th  degrees  of  longitude,  that  is,  between  the  sources  of 
the  Madison  and  Yellowstone.    It  reaches  more  than  a  hun- 
dred miles.     Bituminous,  sulphurous,  and  boiling  springs, 
are  very  numerous  in  it.     The  hot  springs  contain  a  lurgo 
quantity  of  calcareous  matter,  and  form  hills  more  or  less 
elevated,  which  resemble  in  their  nature,  perhaps,  if  not  in 
their  extent,  the  famous  springs  of  Pemboukkalesi,  in  Asia 
Minor,  so  well  described  by  Chandler.     The  earth  is  thrown 
up  very  high,  and  the  influence  of  the  elements  causes  it  to 
take  the  most  varied  and  the  most  fantasLic  shapes.     Gas, 
vapor,  and  smoke  are  continually  escaping,  by  a  thousand 
openings,  from  the  base  to  the  summit  of  the  volcanic  pile ; 
the  noise  at  times  resembles  the  steam  let  off  by  a  boat. 
Strong  subterranean  explosions  occur  like  those  in  "  Colter's 
HelV    The  hunters  and  the  Indians  speak  of  it  ^^^ith  a  su- 
perstitious fear,  and  consider  it  the  abode  of  evil  spirits,  that 
is  to  say,  a  kind  of  hell.    Indians  seldom  approach  it  with- 
out offering  some  sacrifice,  or,  at  least,  without  presenting 
the  calumet  of  peace  to  the  turbulent  spirits,  that  they  may 
be  propitious.     They  declare  that  the  subterran<;an  nuisea 
proceed  from  the  forging  of  V'^arlike  weapons :  each  eruption 
of  earth  is,  in  their  eyes,  the  result  of  a  combat  between  the 
infernal  spirit'*,  and  becomes  the  monument  of  a  new  victory 
or  calamity.     Near  Gardiner  River,  a  tributary  of  the  Yel- 
lowstone, and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  region  I  have  just  been 


♦ 


88 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


dcBo.lbing,  tlicro  is  a  mountain  of  sulphur.  I  have  this  ro- 
port  from  Captain  Bridger,  who  is  familiar  witli  every  one  of 
these  mounds,  having  passed  thirty  years  of  his  life  near 
them. 

From  the  Owl  Buttes,  where  we  encamped  on  the  7th  of 
August,  to  the  source  of  the  Immel,  a  distance  of  nearly 
thirty  miles,  we  travelled  on  the  highlands.     The  surface 
was  rugged,  cut  by  deep  ravin'es,  and  excessively  difficult  to 
pass  with  our  vehicles.     At  every  step  wo  met  volcanic  re- 
mains.    For  two  days  our  route  offered  on  the  right  and  left 
burnt  hills,  some  of  which  were  covered  with  lava  and  sco- 
riie,  and  had  evidently  been  craters,  whence  volcanic  matter 
had  been  ejected  into  the  neighboring  plain. 
^  At  the  decline  of  the  same  day,  we  were  witnesses  of  a 
singularly  beautiful  phenomenon.     The  moon  was  surround- 
ed by  four  circles ;  the  first  was  of  a  beautiful  azure,  the 
second  a  rich  purple,  and  the  third  white,  while  the  fourth 
was  obscure  or  black.     In  the  midst  of  all  these  circles  the 
queen  of  night  shone  brilliantly.     The  savages  augured  .rom 
this  sign,  that  some  hostile  band  was  near,  and  passed  the 
whole  night  in  arms,  watching. 

On  the  10th  we  quitted  the  highlands  and  advanced  about 
twenty  miles,  over  a  barren,  rugged  space,  excavated  by 
rams.  A  kind  of  salamander,  vulgarly  called  «  horned  frog," 
lizards,  and  rattlesnakes,  were  most  abundant.  I  give  you 
the  information  I  gathered  from  the  Indians  concerning  the 
antidotes  they  employlbr  curing  the  bite  of  the  last-named 
reptile.  Blackroot  {Pterocaulon)  is  regarded  by  them  as  a 
sovereign  remedy  against  the  wound  inflicted  by  this  most 
venomous  serpent,  and  Providence  has  rendered  it  very  plen- 
tiful, precisely  in  those  places  in  which  these  snakes  are 
found.  The  remedy  is  truly  side  by  side  with  the  ill— for  it 
is  sufficient  to  chew  the  weed  and  apply  if  to  the  wound, 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


89 


wliftnllio  fiwclling  is  arrosteJ  and  disappears.  When  an  Tn- 
<liaii,  his  horse,  or  his  do^,  has  been  bitton  by  one  of  these 
serpents,  tlicy  pursue  the  roi)tile,  whit^h  dies  almost  directly 
after  liaving  given  its  bite.  They  open  its  stomnch,  take 
out  the  blood  tluit  it  has  swallowed  and  apply  it  to  the 
wound  ;  the  swelling  subsides  at  once,  and  the  dangerous 
ettects  of  the  poison  are  prevented.  When  the  swelling  is 
considerable,  the  Indians  use  the  sharp  bones  and  the  teeth 
of  the  rattlesnake  to  pick  and  open  the  swollen  skin,  and  by 
this  means  they  dissipate  or  remove  the  inflammation.  The 
copperhead-snake  has  a  poison  so  subtle,  that  its  breath  alone 
causes  death  to  him  who  iidiales  it.  Its  tongue  is  not  forked 
like  that  of  other  snakes ;  it  is  of  a  triangular  shape.  When 
the  reptile  is  startled  and  provoked,  his  head  flattens,  and 
he  throws  from  his  mouth  a  great  quantity  of  yellow  poison, 
and  then  blows  till  he  expires. 

On  the  11th  we  arrived  at  the  upper  portion  of  a  gently 
sloping  plain.  Having  crossed  it,  we  found  ourselves  at  Fort 
Alexander,  situated  on  the  banks  of  tlie  Yellowstone,  and  at 
a  short  distance  from  the  little  river  Rosebud.  Fort  Alex- 
ander is  one  hundred  miles  distant  from  Fort  Union.  The 
winter,  it  is  said,  is  extremely  severe  in  these  regions,  com- 
mencing in  November,  and  only  terminating  in  the  month 
of  April. 

Accept,  (fee, 

P.   J.    i>K   SMi^T,    S.  J. 

80 


» 


to 


WESTERN    1I1R8I0NB 


f 


fil 


!,; 
.t. 


LcUer  V. 

To  TUB  Editor  of  tub  I'lifecia  Uistobiques,  Brussels. 

Univehbitt  ov  St.  Lotus,  Jan.  24,  1862. 

After  rGnininin£y  six  dnys  at  Fort  Alexander,  allowing 
our  animals  tinio  to  repose,  and  jilso  awaiting  the  arrival  of 
a  barge  belonging  to  tlio  American  Fur  Company,  which 
was  freighted  with  some  of  onr  efftjcts,  wo  passed  over  tho 
Yellowstono  on  tlie  17th  of  August,  at  about  two  o'clock. 
Wo  passed  over  a  high  and  very  level  plain  :  for  a  distance 
of  five  miles  tlio  soil  is  light,  sandy,  and  entirely  covered 
with  green  toads,  as  tlio  voyngeurs  call  different  kinds  of 
cactus — plants  that  are  noted  for  tho  splendor  of  their  flowers, 
and  for  their  grotesque  and  varied  shapes.  Tho  round  and 
the  oval,  about  tho  size  of  a  hen's  o^rf,  abound  in  this  plain, 
and  are  set  with  long  thorns,  hard,  and  as  fine  and  sharp  as 
needles.  When  trampled  by  the  horses'  feet,  these  thorns 
spring  up  and  ndherc  to  the  legs  and  belly  of  the  animals, 
and  thus  render  them  furious  and  unmanageable.  We  soon 
arrived  in  Rosebud  Valley,  and  continuing  our  route  until 
sunset,  we  encamped  on  the  borders  of  a  little  river  bearing 
the  same  name,  and  quite  near  a  beautiful  pond,  over  which 
a  new  dam  had  been  constructed  by  the  beavers. 

This  section  of  the  country  offered  us  frequent  occasions 
of  admiring  the  labors  and  ingenious  industry  of  these  in- 
telligent animals.  They  are  more  numerous  here  than  in 
any  other  district  1  have  visited,  and  I  am  told  that  their 


prcnervati 
iioiis  of  V 
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that  their 
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this  natio 
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many  a  I 
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great  deti 
stitions  w 
enlighteni 
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Rosebud, 
of  the  riv( 
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their  hills 
whole  ch 
water,  is 
the  year. 


AND  MISSION  A  R  IKS. 


01 


proMrvation  i«  chiefly  attrihiitftblo  to  tlio  cnntinnnl  oxciir- 
iiiuiH  of  wiir-pnrtioM,  either  Sioux,  AfiHinilHiins,  or  niack-Fcot, 
all  implucfihlo  eiictnicH  of  th()  CrowH,  nnd  thcBo  prcont  tho 
huntHinim  ntiU  the  flnvagos  from  hazuriliiig  a  chiiHo  in  thoBO 
pftrtn.  At  present,  tho  fur  of  the  beaver  is  of  m  little  vahio 
that  their  seivreh  is  nlmo«t  abandoned.  In  ancient  times  tho 
Crows  hold  the  beaver  in  tho  highest  veneration,  because 
tliiH  nation  imagined  tliat  tiiey  boeamo  beavers  after  death. 
This  article  of  their  cre^;d  entailed  tho  loss  of  liis  scalp  to 
many  a  bold  huntsman  among  tho  whites,  for  every  Crow 
Indian  considered  himself  bound  to  protect,  defen<l,  and 
avenge,  even  with  death,  the  spirits  of  his  near  relations,  in 
their  second  state  of  existence.  During  lato  years  this  dog- 
ma of  faith  lias  been  erased  from  their  religious  code,  to  the 
great  detriment  certainly  of  the  poor  beavers.  Such  super- 
stitions will  never  wholly  disappear  until  tho  Catholic  faith 
enlightens  these  wilds,  over  which  tho  darkness  of  paganism 
still  hannrs. 

For  four  days  wo  continued  ascending  tho  valley  of  the 
Rosebud,  about  one  hundred  miles,  as  high  as  tho  sources 
of  tho  river.  There  again  wo  found  the  soil  light  and  sandy ; 
it  was  covered  with  wild  rose-bushes,  cactus,  and  artemisia 
of  several  varieties,  and  intersected  with  ravines  which  were 
exceedingly  difficult  to  bo  crossed  with  baggage-wagons. 
The  shores  of  this  river  relieve  tho  eye  with  an  occasional 
group  of  cotton-wood,  intermingled  with  plum,  cherry,  and 
service  trees,  which  thrive  hero  in  undisturbed  plenty. 

Tho  Little  Wolf  Mountains,  whose  rivulets  give  rise  to  the 
Rosebud  River,  have  in  general  a  charming  appearance  in  ' 
their  hills  and  acclivities — and  in  their  combined  aspect  as  a 
whole  chain.  The  absence  of  water,  especially  of  spring- 
water,  is  a  painful  privation  to  travellers  in  this  season  of 
the  year.     We  found,  indeed,  some  holes  of  stagnant  water, 


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Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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92 


WESTERN   IVnSSIONS 


hi 


in  tlie  dry  beds  of  tlie  rivers,  but  the  taste  is  almost  insnp- 
portfible.     The  buffalo-herds  are  less  numerous  here  than  in 
the  lands  lying  further  north,  owing  no  doubt  to  bands  of 
warriors  that  roam  over  the  space.     Yet  we  perceived  at 
every  moment  large  troops  of  stags,  and  a  great  many  deer  and 
mountain-sheep.     We  remarked  recent  traces  of  enemies- 
such  as  the  slain  carcasses  of  very  dangerous  wild  animals, 
the  miprcss  of  human  feet  in  the  sand,  concealed  encamp- 
ments, and  half-quenched  fires.     Consequently  we  redoubled 
our  vigilance,  in  order  to  avoid  a  perilous  surprise.    A  beau- 
tiful chiefs-coat,  of  scarlet  cloth,  and  trimmed  with  gold 
lace,  suspended  from  the  branch  of  a  tree,  was  perceived 
waving  in  the  air  like  a  floating  banner.      There  was  a  race 
to  win  the  prize ;  an  Assiniboin  having  carried  it  off,  it  was 
most  carefully  scrutinized.     The  conclusion  was,  that  it  had 
been  offered  only  the  day  before  by  some  Black-Foot  chief. 
These  Indians,  when  on  the  war-path,  frequently  make  such 
offerings  either  to  the  sun  or  to  the  moon,  hoping  thus  to 
render  them  propitious,  so  that  through  their  intervention 
they  may  obtam  many  scalps  and  horses.   The  most  precious 
objects  which  they  possess  and  which  they  esteem  most,  are 
often  thus  sacrificed.    The  Mandans,  the  Arickaras,  and  their 
neighbors,  go  still  further:  they  cut  off  fingers,  and  make 
deep  incisions  in  the  fleshy  parts  of  the  body  before  starting 
for  war,  in  order  to  obtain  the  same  favors  of  their  false 
gods.     On  my  last  visit  to  these  Eiccaries,  Minataries,  and 
Mandans,  I  could  not  discern  a  single  man  at  all  advanced 
in  years  whose  body  was  not  mutilated,  or  who  possessed 
his  full  number  of  fingers.     How  profound  their  ignorance  i 
How  fearful  the  idolatry  in  which  these  unhappy  tribes  are 
plunged  !     To  this  sombre  picture  we  may  add  a  passionate 
love  of  gaming,  which  consumes  the  hours  which  should  bo 
devoted»to  necessary  repose ;  a  sloth  which  nothing  but  huu- 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


93 


ger  can  arouse;  an  innate  inclinf.tion  to  dissimulation,  glut- 
tony, and  to  whatever  can  llattei    sensuality.      And  "still, 
amid  this  ocean  of  miseries,  they  feel  an- indescribable  need 
of  invoking  a  power  supeiior  to  man  :  they  listen  attentively 
to  any  instruction  which  reveals  to  them  the  means  of  pro- 
curing his  favor,  and  give  them  information  of  his  attributes. 
They  love  the  missionary,  and  ever  listen  to  him  with  de- 
light; and  in  his  quality  of  priest  receive  him  with  friend- 
ship and  respect.     To  judge  by  the  respect  and  friendship 
shown  me  as  a  priest,  on  all  occasions  and  circumstances,  by 
the  Indians  on  the  Upper  Missouri,  I  am  satisfied  that  if  a 
few  zealous  priests  were  stationed  here,  they  would  soon  be- 
come generous  Christians,  full  of  zeal  and  ardor  for  the  glory 
of  our  God  and  his  holy  law.     «  They  would  know  their 
Father  who  is  in  heaven,  and  Him  whom  he  has  sent  on 
earth ;"  they  would  become  faithful  disciples  of  the  Redeem- 
er, who  so  ardently  desires  the  salvation  of  all,  and  who  did 
not  disdain  to  shed  his  blood  for  them  on  the  cross. 

On  the  2  2d  of  August  we  quitted  the  valley  of  the  Rose- 
bud, and  crossed  the  mountainous  train  which  separates  it 
from  Tongue  Rivfer.  The  crest  of  this  chain  presents  a  con- 
tinuation of  sandstone  cliffs,  under  a  multitude  of  varied  and 
fantastical  shapes.  The  sides  are  almost  perpendicular,  and 
consequently  very  difficult  to  ascend  or  descend  with  our 
wagons.  The  aid  of  every  arm  was  necessary  to  sustain  the 
teams.  For  several  days  we  had  to  camp  by  a  pond  filled 
with  disgusting  water.  How  agreeable  the  contrast  to  find 
ourselves  on  the  borders  of  this  beautiful  river,  the  waters  of 
which  are  pure  as  crystal !  How  eagerly  did  we  allay  our 
burning  thirst !  The  horses  and  mules  appeared  to  rejoice, 
neighing  and  rearing  with  impatience ;  as  soon  as  their  bri- 
dles were  loosened,  they  plunged  into  the  waves  and  in^ 
dulged  in  long  draughts.     When  the  whole  caravan  had 


;%. 


f 


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94 


"WESTERN  MISSIONS 


assuaged  their  tliirst,  we  continued  our  route.    We  traversed 
an  undulating  plain  ;  and  perceiving  in  the  distance  a  pronii- 
nent  point  of  land  which  appeared  sparkling  with  crystals 
we  named  it  Diamond  Uill.     It  was  covered  with  enormous 
masses  of  mica.     For  the  fust  time  since  we  left  Fort  Alex- 
ander we  breakfasted  beside  beautiful  springs  of  fresh  water 
the  most  remarkable  in  the  country.     After  advancing  about 
twenty-three  miles  that  day,  we  camped  on  the  banks  of 
Tongue  River.     There  we  had  a  new  occasion  to  recall  and 
arrange  our  recollections  of  the  land  we  had  seen.     Coal 
also  appears  as  abundant  south  of  the  Yellowstone  as  above 
it;  we  met  it  everywhere.     The  slopes  of  the  hills  are  well 
wooded  with  larch  and  pines  of  every  variety  up  to  the  very 
summit,  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  Little  Wolf 
chain.     This  we  left  for  that  of  the  Great  Wolf,  which  wa 
reach  before  arriving  at  the  Black  Hills.     These  mountains 
form  spurs  of  the  Rocky  Mountains ;  the  principal  summits 
are  over  13,000  feet  high.     On  the  23d  we  left  Tongue 
River.     For  ten  hours  we  marched  over  mountain  and  val- 
ley, following  the  course  of  one  of  its  tributaries,  making, 
however,  only  about  ttoenty^five  miles.     On-  the  day  follow- 
ing  we  crossed  a  chain  of  lofty  mountains  to  attain  the 
Lower  Pmy  Fork,  nearly  twenty  miles  distant.    We  arrived 
qmte  unexpectedly  on  the  borders  of  a  lovely  little  lake 
about  six  miles  long,  and  my  travelling  companions  gave  it 
my  name.     There  our  hunters  killed  several  wild  ducks.     On 
quitting  the  lake,  we  discovered  another  elevated  portion  of 
land  on  which  red  mounds  and  scoria,  volcanic  remains,  are 
scattered  in  all  directions,  as  far  as  the  Upper  Piny  Fork- 
and  there  petrified  trees  are  met  with  at  every  step.    To' 
wards  evening  we  encamped,at  the  base  of  a  mountain,  after 
advancing  about  twenty-five  miles,  and  thought  ourselves 
favored  m  finding  a  pool  of  water.    The  next  twenty-four 


AND  MISSIONAEIES. 


95 


miles  were  taken  in  the  direction  of  Sandy  River,  through 
undulating  plains  and  mountainous  bills. 

On  the  27th  of  August  we  reached  Powder  River,  one  of 
the  principal  tributaries  of  the  Yellowstone.  Our  warronera 
will  not  soon  forget  the  difficulty  of  conducting  theirtearas 
through  this  last  route,  for  it  was  a  very  miserable,  elevated 
Bterde  plam,  covered  with  wormwood  and  intersected  with 
countless  ravines,  and  they  vowed  they  would  never  bo 
caught  driving  a  wagon  there  again. 

The  valley  of  the  Powder  River,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Buttes  aux  Callebasses,  which  are  in  sight,  is  three  or 
four  miles  wide.  Although  the  soil  was  light,  the  verdure 
was  fine  and  the  grazing  abundant.  The  part  where  I 
crossed  the  valley  is  well  wooded,  and  they  told  me  that 
wood,  especially  cotton-wood  and  fiuit  trees,  ' .  abundant  all 
along  the  river.  This  valley  forms  a  beautiful  contrast  with 
the  high  plains  of  these  parts,  which  are  the  very  picture  of 
aridity  and  desolation,  with  naught  but  weeds,  rocks,  and 
deep  ravines. 

Here  we  happened  to  meet  with  three  young  Indians  of 
the  Crow  tribe.    They  had  been  on  the  lookout  for  a  Sioux 
camp,  intending  to  steal  horses,  but  had  not  succeeded. 
These  young  men  advised  us  to  pursue  the  vale  of  a  little 
river  which  they  pointed  out  to  us,  assuring  us  that  by 
taking  that  direction  we  should  soon  arrive  at  Fort  Laramie 
I  was  surprised  at  this  counsel,  for  the  course  of  the  valley 
was  southwest ;  however,  we  followed  the  route  indicated  by 
the  Crows.    This  proved  the  most  rugged  and  difficult  part 
of  our  journey,  hence  we  styled  it  « the  valley  of  a  thousand 
miseries."      A  name  could  not  have  been  better  chosen. 
Imagine  a  river  with  perpendicular  banks,  winding  in  a  ser- 
pentine course  through  a  narrow  valley,  so  that  in  a  distance 
of  three  miles  we  were  obliged  to  cross  it  ten  or  twelve 


If 


96 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


B !  ■ 


ir- 


5 1 


ii 


III' 


times,  with  carta  and  wngoiis,  at  tlio  imminont  risk  of  kill- 
in^sj;  onr  horses  utkI  luiilcs  and  destroying  our  vehicles.  Tlie 
soil,  too,  was  sterile,  and  as  wo  journeyed  on  water  became 
scarce — on  the  fifth  day  it  failed  completely,  and  it  did  again 
on  the  hist.  Tlio  night  that  ensued  was  a  hard  trial,  for 
after  so  long  a  march  wo  had  not  a  drop  of  watei  to  quench 
our  burning  thirst. 

On  the  1st  of  September,  having  traversed  three  chains  of 
liills,  wo  gradually  attained  the  summit  of  the  Black  Hills. 
We  had  one  cart  less,  and  one  heavy  wagon  so  broken  that 
it  had  to  be  tied  together  with  strips  of  raw  buffalo-hide. 
From  the  summit  wo  were  so  happy  as  to  perceive  a  distant 
lake.  We  eagerly  hastened  in  that  direction,  for  we  were 
consumed  with  thirst,  and  had  serious  fears  for  our  beasts  of 
burden,  which  were  slackening  their  weary  pace.  To  our 
astonishment,  we  directly  perceived  that  we  were  still  at  a 
great  distance  from  Fort  Laramie.  Instead  of  being  near 
that  fort,  in  accordance  with  the  assurances  of  the  three 
Crows,  we  discovered  ourselves  in  sight  of  the  Red  Buttes, 
twenty-five  miles*  off.  This  is  a  well-known  spot  on  the 
"Great  Oregon  Route,"  and  is  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
from  Fort  Laramie.  On  the  top  of  the  Black  Hills  I  left  a 
little  souvenir  of  my  passage, — on  a  very  high  rock  of  a  re- 
markable form,  I  carved  a  large  and  handsome  cross.  Ah  ! 
may  the  Indian  tribes  scattered  throughout  the  wild  solitude 
soon  learn  the  great  truths  which  this  holy  emblem  an- 
nounces !  May  they  soon  leave  the  bondage  in  which  error 
has  chained  them  during  innumerable  ages ! 

The  whole  region  over  which  we  passed,  south  of  the  Yel- 
lowstone, offers  only  feeble  hopes  to  civilization.  The  soil  is 
light,  wood  scarce,  and  water  wanting  during  a  large  portion 
of  the  year.  It  is  a  country  favorable  solely  to  hunters  and 
wandering  tribes.    All  the  animals  common  in  the  wilder- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


97 


np88  abound,  and  d 
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they 


>'oar8  to  como 

v.f  V        .  •    .,  ''"''■  ^''''''''''''''     ^J'«"  ^"  tl.o  fertile  tracts, 
ct  vacant  m  the  uuu.o.se  Indian  territory,  will  be  occupied, 
hen  only  wl   the  lands  below  the  Vellowstone  attract  aften 
tion ;    h.n  alone  will   necessitous  and  persevering  industry 
succeed  m  drawing  any  considerable  portion  of  this  re^riou  i 
Ironi  Its  present  barrenness.  *      i 

lu  the  neighborhood  and  along  the  ba.se  of  the  Black 
lids  there  bes  a  very  extensive  tract  of  fertile  and  tillable 
land      Ihe  verdure  is  rich  and  abounds  in  all  the  valleys, 
and  these  valleys  penetrate  the  mountain's  like  so  many 
vems,  where  millions  of  domestic  animals  might  be  raised ; 
oi  the  springs  and  rivulets  so  seldom  occurring  in  the  cen- 
tral  section  between  the  Yellowstone  and  the  Black  Hills 
are  very  numerous  in  the  interior  and  at  the  base  of  these 
inountams.     There  are  also  a  great  many  sites  favorable  " 
the  erccuon  of  mill.     The  climate  is  reputed  delightful,  and 
be  noble  forests  of  cedar  and  pine  would  abundanlly  supply 
the  necessities  of  a  population.     Mines  of  lead  and  iron  are 
very  numerous. 

The  2d   day  of  September  we  found  ourselves  on  the 
Great  Koute  to  Oregon,"  over  which,  like  successive  ocean 
Bulges,  the  caravans,  composed  of  thousands  of  emigrants 
from  every  country  and  clime,  have  passed  during  these  lat- 
ter  years  to  reach  the  rich  gold  mines  of  California,  or  to 
take  possession  of  the  new  lands  in  the  fertile  plains  and  val- 
leys  of  Utah  and  Oregon.     These  intrepid  pioneers  of  civil- 
zation  have  formed  the  broadest,  longest,  and  most  beautiful 
road  in  the  whole  woild-from  the  United  States  to  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean.     On  the  skirts  of  this  magnificent  way  there  is 
an  abundance  of  grass  for  supplying  the  cattle  and  animals 
appertaining  to  the  caravans  which  are  incessantly  travelling 
on  It,  from  early  spring  to  autumn,  every  succeedin<r  v.ar. 

0 


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WESTERN   MISSIONS 


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Our  Indian  companions  who  had  never  seen  but  the  nnr- 
row  bunting-paths,  by  which  thoy  transport  thcmselvos  and 
their  lodges,  were  filled  with  adniirutiou  on  seeing  this  noblo 
highway,  which  is  as  smooth  as  a  barn-floor  swept  by  the 
■winds,  and  not  a  blade  of  grass  can  shoot  on  it  on  account 
of  the  continual  passing.  They  conceived  a  high  idea  of 
tiie  countless  White  Nation^  as  they  express  it.  They  fan- 
cied that  all  had  gone  over  that  road,  and  that  an  immense 
void  must  exist  in  the  land  of  the  rising  sun.  Their  coun- 
tenances testified  evident  incredulity  when  I  told  them  that 
their  exit  was  in  nowise  perceived  in  the  lands  of  the  whites. 

They  styled  the  route  the  Great  Medicine  Road  of  the 
Whites.  The  term  medicine  is  applied  by  them  to  whatever 
they  find  grand,  religious,  mysterious,  or  incomprehensible. 
They  visited  and  examined  in  detail  all  the  forsaken  camp- 
ing-grounds on  the  way ;  they  brought  a  great  variety  of 
objects  to  me  to  have  their  use  and  signification  explained ; 
they  filled  their  pouches  with  knives,  forks,  spoons,  basins, 
coffee-pots,  and  other  cooking  articles,  axes,  hammers,  etc. 
"With  the  bits  of  earthen  ware  which  bore  any  figure  or  in- 
scription, they  fabricated  some  ornament  for  their  necks 
and  ears.  How  wonderful  will  be  the  accounts  given  of  the 
Great  Medicine  Road  by  our  unsophisticated  Indians  when 
they  go  back  to  their  villages,  and  sit  in  the  midst  of  an  ad- 
miring circle  of  relatives. 

But  these  relics  collected  by  our  savage  friends  were  not 
the  sole  vestiges  of  Ihe  great  multitude  of  emigrants  who, 
in  search  of  gold,  had  crossed  this  vast  plain  with  a  rare 
courage  and  unheard-of  fatigues  and  difficulties.  The 
bleached  bones  of  domestic  animals  disseminated  profusely 
along  the  route ;  the  rising  mound  hastily  made  over  the 
grave  of  a  parent  or  a  friend  deceased  during  the  long  jour- 
ney, and  the  tribute  offered  to  memory  in  a  coarse  and 


AND   MISSION AUIKg. 


00 


mdely-cnrvod  inRcrlption  on  n  narrow  ntiip  of  boiirJ  or  on  a 
stoii..,  Willi  oihi'r  t,mivc.H  which  „||oreil  no  such  tcfitiinoniiil 
of  ulfcctiun,  furnish  arn|.lc  aii.l  nu-laiu-holy  proofs  that  death 
Imd  considoral.ly  thinned  thoir  ranks.  J}y  such  .lisastora 
thousands  of  emigrants  havo  found  thoinsclves  su.kienly  ar- 
restwd,  and  been  mucked  iu  the  llattering  hone  of  wealth  and 
pleaiui'o. 

The  countless  fragments  of  conveyances,  the  licaps  of  pro- 
visions, tools  of  e#ry  kitid,  and  other  objects  with  which 
the  emigrants  must  have  provided  themselves'  at  great  ex- 
pense, but  which  the  most  impatient,  eager  to  outstrip  others 
in  the  Western   r:idorado,   had  forsaken    and    east  aside, 
testify  to  that  bold  recklessness  with  which  they   hazard 
every  thing   in    this  enterprise  which   has  proved  fatal  to 
thousauds.^    The  picture  traced  by  Thornton  in  his  Journal 
of  1848,  is  the  most  shocking  that  can  be  contemplated. 
Arrived  in  the  arid  lands  of  California,  the   famine  had  at 
first  reduced  them  to  eating  their  horses  and  mules;  soon 
they  had  recourse  to  dead  bodies ;  then  the  dying  were  not 
spared,  and    at   last   they  actually  devoured   each   other! 
What  a  salutary  proof  of  the  uncertainty  that  accompanies 
the  grandest  perspectives  in  the  life  of  man,  and  of  the  de- 
ceptions that  unveil  to  him  his  native  weakness ! 

We  followed  the  great  road  south  of  the  Platte  to  the 
foot  of  the  Groat  Black  Uills.     On  this  road  we  found  our- 
selves relieved  from  those  obstacles  which  had  so  often  en- 
dangered our  vehicles  and  our  animals.     After  eight  days' 
journey  along  the  Platte,  we  arrived  at  Fort  Laramie  without 
the  least  trouble  or  accident.     The  commander  of  the  fort 
informed  us  that  the  Great  Council  was  to  take  place  at  the 
mouth  of  Horse  River,  in  a  vast  plain  situated  nearly  thirty- 
five  miles  lower  down  on  the  Platte.     The  next  day  I  ac- 
cepted the  polite  invitation  of  the  respected  Col.  Campbell, 


• 


1 

ill 

0 

1 

"','''^ 

i 

i 

I'OO 


WKSTIi-KN    MISSIONS 


»f 


i» 


Rn»l  took  a  Mht  in  liig  caninjj^e.  Wo  arrived  at  the  plain  of 
tlio  intiMidiid  coiiiicil  uhout  NUiinot.  'riioii!  the  sii|>«'riiit«>ii(l- 
ciit,  Col.  M.  Mitclu'II,  received  iiui  with  warm  frit'iidsliij)  and 
cordiality,  a!id  insisting  that  I  hliouKl  beoouiu  his  jruest  dur- 
ing the  wholo  tinio  of  tho  couucil.  'All  iho  otherii  showtid 
mo  great  respect. 

In  this  imnienao  plain  abovc-nicntioned,  we  found  about 
a  thousand  lodges,  that  is  to  say,  ten  thousand  Indians, 
representing  Sioux,  Sheycnnes,  and  Rapalios,  with  several 
deputations  from  tho  Crows,  Snakes,  or  Soshouies,  Arickaras, 
Assiuiboins,  and  Minataries.  I  purpose  entertaining  you  in 
iny  next  with  the  object  of  tho  council,  and  of  my  inter- 
views with  tho  Indians. 

Accept,  etc., 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 

P.  S. — I  subjoin  a  list  of  the  animals  killed  by  our  hunt- 
ers from  tho  Ist  of  August  till  the  Oih  of  September,  1851 : 
2  deer,  11  antelopes,  37  bison  cows,  22  bulls,  3  bears,  2  stags, 
7  Rocky-Mountain  shccpf  2  badgers,  2  polecats,  1  porcupine, 
1  wolf,  17  haros  and  rabbits,  13  ducks,  18  Leathcock,  10 
pheasants. 


W 


w 


AND  MISBTON ARIES. 


101 


Letter  VL 

To   THE   DiUECrOR    or  TIIK    pRfeCIS   ITlRTOniQUEB,  BllUBSELa. 

Jmrney  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1851. 

\f*****  .  Univjckbity  or  St.  Louib,  Junuory  26, 1853. 

During  tlio  ciglitcen  days  thut  the  Great  Council  lasted, 
the  union,    hnrinony  and  amity   that  reigned   atnong  tl»o 
Indians  were  truly  adinirablo.     Implacable  hatreds,  heredi- 
tary enmities,  cruel   and  bloody  encounters,  with  the  whole 
past,   in   fine,   were   forgotten.     They    paid    mutual    visits, 
smoked  the  calumet  of  peace  together,  exchanged  presents, 
l)artook  of  numerous  banquets,  and  all  the  lodges  were  open 
to  strangers.    A  practice  occurring  but  on  the  most  amicable 
and  fraternal  occasions  was  seen— this  is,  the  adopting  of 
children  and  of  brothers  on  each  side.     There  was  a  perfect 
unanimity  of  views  between   Col.  Mitchell,  superintendent 
of  the  Indian  Territory,  and  Major  Fitzpatrick,  and  nothing 
was  omitted  to  foster  these  germs  of  peace.     The  object  of 
the   assembly   was  a   distinguished    proof  of   the   highest 
benevolence  on  the  part  of  tho  United  States  Government, 
as  well  as  of  tho  sincere  desire  of  establishing  a  lasting  peace 
among  tribes  hostile  to  each  other,  and  of  obtaining  a  right 
of  passage    through    their  possessions   for  the  whites,  and 
making  the  Indians  compensation  for  injuries  and  losses  the 
latter  may  liave  sustained  from  the  whites. 

At  the  opening  of  the  council,  the  superintendent  made 
known  to  the  savages   that  the  object  of  the  assembly  was 

80 


• 


.11 


lii: 


102 


WESTCBN  UUSIONS 


\P 


d 


■.,  •  < 
! 


i' 


kS4 


iii 


thn  nccoptiitlon  hy  them  of  tho  trcnty,  mich  am  it  had  been 
prop/mxl  iM.f.u'elmml,  with  tlio  coiim-nt  of  tli.j  iVcHi.l.nt  of 
tho  United  Stat-'H.  Thin  troity  wnn  rca.l  (t^'ntcnco  hy  nan- 
U'nvo,  aii.l  .IlHiiiirfly  oxpldintxl  to  tho  diHoiont  itiforprotcM, 
that  th.y  might  havo  tho  txa<-t  and  h'n;itim,ito  mcaniii^r  „f 
Cftch  uitii;!.'.  Tho  pii'.iml.jo  t-xplaiim  that  it  in  a  troaly 
between  tlie  agonlN  narmd  «.ri  oiin  Hi«h,  hy  thn  iV.Hi.h.nt  Jf 
the  United  Staten,  and  on  the  other  by  tlio  chi.fs  or  bravoH 
of  the  Indian  nationH  that  r.-Hido  Bouth  of  tho  Mi8«oiiri,  eaut 
of  tho  Itocky  MountainH,  and  north  of  tho  boundary  lino  of 
Texas  and  Mexico,  viz.:  Tho  Sioux  or  Dacotahs,  tho'Sho- 
yonnes,  the  Arai)ahoR,  tho  Crows,  th(!  MinataricH,  tho  Mandans, 
and  ArickaniH.     Tho  priimij.al  artiolosworo : 

Art.  lit^— Tho  IndiauH  recognize  an<l  admit  tho  right  of 
tho  United  Stat.-s  to  form  roads  and  establish  military  posts 
in  thoir  territory.  Art.  2(/.— Solemn  obligations  agreed 
upon  for  the  maintenance  of  pence,  and  for  repairing  tho 
damages  and  losses  sustained  by  tho  whites  on  tho  part  of 
iho  Indians.  Art.  3(/.— Indemnity  accorded  to  the  Indiana 
for  tho  destruction  caused  in  their  hunting-grounds,  their 
forests,  pasturages,  etc.,  by  travellers  from  tho  States  who 
cross  their  lands.  Tho  present  of  ^50,000  is  granted  to 
them  on  this  ground.  Art.  4/A.— During  fifteen  coming 
years,  $50,000  will  be  annually  paid  in  objects  and  gifts 
which  may  prove  usefid  or  necessary  to  the  Indians. 

Tho  treaty  was  signed  by  tho  agents  of  the  United 
States,  and  by  all  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  different  nations 
who  were  present.  Another  treaty  in  favor  of  the  half- 
breeds  and  the  whites  residing  in  the  country  was  proposed, 
to-wit:  That  a  t-;ict  of  country  be  assigned  them  for  their 
use,m  order  to  form  agricultural  establishments  and  colonies, 
and  that  they  should  obtain  ilie  assistance  of  tho  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  in  the  execution  of  their  project. 


AND  MtSfllON ARIES. 


103 


Tliw  IS  tho  mlo  monnii  of  prcuflrvinf?  union  among  all  thow 
wnndering  and  K-atteml  fannlicH,  which  Im'.oim  cvory  year 
more  an<l  nioio  nuincroun,  and  of  ontablishing  them  in  ono 
or  two  colonio«,  with  <.hurche«  and  schools,  for  their  general 
Imtruction  and  well-being. 

With  a  few  oxcoptionH,  all  tho  half-breeds  are  baptize.l 
an.i    rore.vod   as  .children  of  tho  Church.     During   twenty 
y<v.rs  they  have  petitioned  to  have  Catholic  priests,  and  have 
ii.an.feHte<l  their  good-will  to  meet  tho  wants  of  their  mission- 
•no^  and  to  maintain  thera.     If  eccleMiastical  superiors  aro 
not  aided  to  make  timely  provision,  it  is  to  bo  feared  that 
the  care  of  these  now  colonies  will  pass  under  the  direction 
of  men  who  wiH  nparo  no  exertion  to  extinguish  in  tho  hearts 
of  tho  courageous  and  simple  peoplo  the  germs  of  faith,  and 
the  good  wishes  they  entertain  in  favor  of  our  holy  roligion. 
The  question,  -Shall  they  have  jyriesta T  involves  tho  salva- 
tion  of  several  thousand  souls.     It  must  bo  soon  decided  ;  it 
w  alrcmly  agitated,  and  unless  Catholic  missionaries  aro  sent 
tiiore  I  repeat  it,  it  is  to  be  feared  that  persons  hostile  to  tho 
true  taith  may  take  possession  of  the  ground. 

On  tho  second  Sunday  of  September,  Feast  of  tho  Exalta- 
t.on  of  the  Cross,  three  days  after  my  arrival,  some  lodges 
of  buffalo-lndes  were  arranged  and  ornamented  as  a  sanctu- 
ary on  the  plain  of  tho  Great  Council.  Under  this  tent  I 
had  the  happiness  of  offering  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  in  presence 
o  all  the  gentlemen  assisting  at  tho  council,  of  all  tho  half- 
bloods  and  whites,  and  of  a  great  concourse  of  Indians 
After  my  instruction,  twenty-eight  children  (half-bloods),  and 
five  adults,  were  regenerated  in  the  holy  waters  of  baptism 
with  all  the  ceremonies  prescribed  by  the  Church. 

The  Canadians,  French,  and  half-bieeds  who  i'nhabit  the 
Indian  territory,  treat  all  the  priests  who  visit  them  with 
great  kindness,  attention,  and  respect.     It  is  truly  afflictii 


ting 


t. 


111^ 


If 


104 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


to  meet  tliom  in  this  wilderness,  lik 
By  the  zealous  efforts  of  two  irood  cK 


0  so 


many  strayed  sheep, 
lorgyinen,  fine  missions 
could  bo  founded  aniong  fliom— these  would  furnish  cate- 
chists,  and  these  latter  would  lal)or  in  concert  with  the 
priests  for  the  conversion  of  so  many  heniirhted  i^ntrnna,  wlio 
wander  forsaken  in  the  deserts,  and  destitute  of  religions  hone 
and  consolation. 

During  the  two  weeks  that  I  passed  in  tlio  plain  of  the 
Great  Council,  I  paid  fre-iuent  visits  to  the  difterent  trik>8 
and  bands  of  savages,  accompanied  by  one  or  more  of  their 
interpreters.     These  last  were  extremely  obliging  in  devoting 
themselves  to  my  aid  in  announcing  the  gospel."  The  Indians 
listened   eagerly   to   my   instructions.      Ea^h    time   that   X 
addressed  them  concerning  the  particular  vices  which  I  knew 
reigned  among  tiiem,  they  owned  their  faults  with  aduMrable 
simplicity  and  candor,  free  from  all  human  respect.     During 
an  instruction  in  the  camp  of  the  Ogallaliahs,  a  Sioux  tribe, 
m  which  I  explained  to  them  the  ten  comn.andments,  when 
I  arnved  at  the  sixth  and  seventh,  a  general  wliispei-ing  and 
embarrassed  laugh  took  place  among  my  barbai-ons  andHory. 
I  inquired  the  reason  of  this  conduct,  and  explained  to  them 
that  the  law  I  came  to  announce  to  them  was  not  mine,  but 
God's,  and  that  it  was  obligatory  on  all  the  children  of  men  ; 
that   tlie   word   of   God   required   all  their   attention   and 
respect:  that  those  wlio  observe  his   commandments  will 
have  eternal  life,  while  the  prevaricators  of  his  holy  law  sliall 
receive  hell  and  its  torments  as  their  loi.    The  great  chief 
at  once  rose  and  replied  :  "Father,  we  hear  thee;  we  knew 
not  the  words  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  we  acknowledge  our 
Ignorance.  We  are  great  liars  and  thieves ;  we  have  killed ;  we 
have  done  all  the  evil  that  the  Great  Spirit  forbids  us  to  do ;  but 
we  did  not  know  those  beautiful  words ;  in  future  we  will  try 
to  live  better,  if  thou  wilt  but  stay  with  us  and  teach  us." 


AND  MI8SI0NAEIES. 


105 


Tliey  besought  mo  to  explain  baptism  to  them, 


_     mo  to  explain  baptism  to  them,  as  severm 
ot  them  had  been  present  when  I  baptized  the  half-blood 
children.     I  complied  with  their  request,  and  gave  them  a 
lengthy   mstruction  on  its  blessings  and  obligations.     All 
then  entreated  me  to  grant  this  favor  to  their  infants.     Tho 
next  day  the  ceremony  took  place;  239  children    of  th<, 
OguUallahs  (the  first  of  their  tribe)  were  regenerated  in  the 
holy  waters  of  baptism,  to  the  great  joy  and  satisfaction  of 
the   whole   nation.    I  held  daily  conferences  on  religion 
sometimes  with  one  band  of  Indians,  sometimes  with  another, 
lliey  all  listened   with  great   attention,  and   unanimously 
expressed  the  wish  to  be  supplied  with  Catholic  missionaries. 
Anaong  the  Rapahos,  I  baptized  305  little  ones;  among 
tlie  Sheyennes.  263  ;  and  among  tiie  Brules  and  Osage  Sioux, 
280 ;  in  the  camp  of  the  Painted  Bear,  56.    The  number  of  the 
half-bloods  that  I  baptized  in  the  plain  of  the  Great  Council 
and  on  the  River  Platte,  is  61.    In  the  different  forts  on  the 
Missouri,  I  baptized,  during  the  months  of  June  and  July 
iast,  392  children.    Total  number  of  baptism,^,  1586      A 
gi-eat  number  died  shortly  after,  in  consequence  of  diseases 
wiiich  re;gned  in  the  Indian  camps. 

■I  witnessed,  for  the  first  time,  a  singular  rite,  to  which  the 
bbeyennes  attach  as  much  importance  as  the  Asiatic  tribes 
do  to  circumcision  ;  this  is  the  "  ear-cutting  of  the  children  " 
lh)s  custom  appears  to  be  common  among  all  the  tribes  of 
the  Upper  Missouri,  and  probably  in  other  places,  though 
there  may  be  perhaps  some  variety  in  the  form  of  the  cere- 
mony.    Among  the  Sheyennes,   the  mother   chooses  the 
operator,  and  puts  the  knife  into  his  hands.     She  extends 
the  child  on  the  skin  of  some  animal,  carefully  prepared  and 
painted,  and  which  the  Canadians  call  parefleche.    While 
one  of  the  relations  or  friends  holds  the  infant  in  a  quiet  pos- 
ture,  the  operator  makes  five  incisions  in  the  rim  of  each  ear. 


ii    t 


jf     -jl 


106 


WE8TKRN   MISSIONS 


II-'*' 


ViU 


M- 


Tlieso  incisions  aro  doslined  to  recoivo  nnd  carry  ornamonts. 
The  niotlior  niiikcs  i\  prosont  of  ji  horse  to  the  operator,  and 
Biiotlior  present  to  each  one  of  the  assistants. 

In  the  same  place,  rudely  arranged  for  the  occasion,  and 
conii)osed  of  six  lodges,  each  lodge  consisting  of  twenty  hides 
of  bison  cow,  wo  witnessed  another  ceremony.  Tlie  So- 
shonics,  or  Snake  Indians,  had  scarcely  quitted  tlio  Rocky 
Mountains  to  repair  to  the  Great  Council,  when  they  wero 
pursued  and  attacked  by  a  party  of  Sheyennes,  wlio  killed 
two  of  their  men,  and  carried  away  their  scalps.  The  She- 
yennes must  pay,  or  "  cover  the  body,"  which  is  a  satisfaction 
required  by  the  savages  on  such  occasions,  before  they  can 
accept  the  calumet  of  peace,  or  smoke  it  together.  On  this 
day  the  principal  braves  of  tlio  Sheyenne  nation,  and  forty 
warriors  of  the  Soshonies,  were  assembled.  Several  orations 
were  delivered  as  preliminaries  of  peace. 

Tlien  followed  a  feast,  of  which  all  partook.  It  consisted 
simply  of  corn,  crushed  and  thoroughly  boiled.  The  doo-a 
were  spared  this  time,  for  the  Soshonies  are  an  exception  to 
the  common  rule  among  the  Indians ;  that  is,  they  never  eat 
dog-flesh.  The  feast  over,  the  Sheyennes  brought  suitable 
presents  of  tobacco,  blankets,  knives,  pieces  of  red  and  blue 
cloth,  and  deposited  them  in  the  centre  of  the  circle.  The 
two  scalps  were  also  exposed,  and  then  returned  to  the 
brothers  of  the  two  wretched  victims,  who  were  seated  at  the 
Lead  of  the  circle,  between  the  two  chiefs  of  their  nation. 
The  brothers  were  solemnly  assured  that  the  "scalp-dance"* 
did  not  take  p'  ce.     They  wore,  however,  a  very  sombre  air, 


•  This  ceremony,  which  is  an  essential  condition,  consists  of  dances 
and  songs.  Tlie  latter  recount  all  the  exploits  of  the  braves.  Tho 
cereniony  is  renewed  every  day,  and  often  lasts  several  weeks.  Women, 
old  and  yoiing,  as  well  as  children,  can  take  part ;  and,  in  fact,  tho 
women  make  most  noise  and  exertion. 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


107 


and  on  accepting  the  scalps  were  deeply  affected.  How- 
ever, they  ernhniccd  the  inurdorers,  received  the  donations, 
and  dJHtrihutcd  the  lurgor  portion  of  them  to  their  compan- 
ions. Al'ior  this,  the  uhuhI  signs  of  peace  and  amity,  presents 
and  reciprocal  adoptions  of  children,  were  interchanged; 
their  orators  employed  all  their  eloquence  to  strengthen  .the 
good-feeling  which  appeared  to  reign  in  the  assembly,  and 
to  render  it  lasting.  The  next  night  the  Sheyennes  visited 
the  lodges  of  the  Soshonies,  who  were  encamped  beside  my 
little  tent.  Songs  and  dances  were  prolonged  till  daylight, 
and  prevented  mo  from  sleeping.  These  amusements  among 
the  Indians  are  perfectly  innocent.  I  have  never  been  able 
to  detect  the  slightest  gesture  that  could  offend  modesty. 
During  my  waking  hours  that  night  I  reflected  on  the  excel- 
lent dispositions  of  these  pagans,  and  thought,  could  the 
clergy  of  Europe  but  know  them,  they  would  eagerly  hasten 
hither  to  gladden  our  Holy  Mother,  the  Church,  with  thou- 
sands of  new  children. 

During  this  assembly,  as  on  other  occasions,  I  frequently 
remarked  the  skill  and  facility  with  which  the  Indians  com- 
municate their  ideas  by  signs  and  gestures.  Their  move- 
ments are  highly  expressive,  and  appear  to  be  reduced  to  a 
language  as  perfect  and  communicable  as  that  of  the  deaf 
and  dumb  among  us.  By  means  of  these  signs  an  Indian 
will  relate  the  chief  events  of  his  life.  This  mute  speech 
may  be  styled  a  language  of  precaution  and  defence,  for 
when  they  meet  in  the  desert,  in  their  excursions,  they  make 
signs  while  yet  very  far  apart,  before  they  approach.  They 
immediately  know  with  wiioin  they  have  to  deal,  and  of 
what  there  is  in  question.  They  have,  however,  still  more 
remarkable  modes  of  communicating  thought.  Tlie  large 
figures  displayed  on  their  buffalo-robes  are  hieroglyphics,  as 
easily  understood  by  an  intelligent  Indian  as  written  words 


f  ' 


108 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


nre  by  onrselves ;  and  tbey  often  contain  tlie  narrative  of 
some  important  event.  This  is  not,  however,  because  words 
are  wanting  in  their  various  dialects,  which  are  quite  copious 
and  expressive. 

I  attended  the  council  from  the  outset  to  the  close.     As  I 
have  already  stated,  ten  thousand  Indians,  belonging  to  dif- 
ferent tribes,  many  of  which  had  been  at  war  from  time  im- 
memorial, met  on  the  same  plain.     During  the  twenty-three 
days  of  the  assembly  there  was  no  disorder :  on  the  contrary, 
always  peaceable  and  tranquil,  which  is  saying  much  for 
Indians.    They  seemed  all  to  form  but  a  single  nation.     Po- 
lite and  kindly  to  each  other,  they  spent  their  leisure  hours 
in  visits,  banquets,  and  dances ;  spoke  of  their  once  intermi- 
nable wars  and  divisions  as  past  things,  to  be  absolutely  for- 
gotten, or  "buried,"  according  to  their  expression.     There 
"Was  not  a  remark  in  all  their  conversations  to  displease ; 
never  did  the  calumet  pass  in  peace  through  so  many  hands. 
To  convey  an  idea  of  the  importance  of  this  action,  I  must 
observe,  that  smoking  the  calumet  together  is  equivalent  to 
a  treaty  confirmed  by  oath,  which  no  one  can  contravene 
without  dishonoring  himself  in  the  eyes  of  all  his  tribe.     It 
was  really  a  touching  spectacle  to  see  the   calumet,  the 
Indian  emblem  of  peace,  raised  heavenward  by  the  hand  of  a 
savage,  presenting  it  to  the  Master  of  life,  imploring  his  pity 
on  all  his  children  on  earth,  and  begging  him  to  confirm  the 
gooa  resolutions  which  they  had  made. 

Notwithstanding  the  scarcity  of  provisions  felt  in  the 
camp  before  the  wagons  came,  the  feasts  were  numerous  and 
well  attended.  No  epoch  in  Indian  annals,  probably,  shows 
a  greater  massacre  of  the  canine  race.  Among  the  Indians 
the  flesh  of  the  dog  is  the  most  honorable  and  esteemed  of 
all  viands,  especially  in  the  absence  of  bison  and  other  ani- 
mals.   On  the  present  occasion  it  was  a  last  resource.    The 


AND   MIBSIONARIKS. 


100 


carnage  then  may  be  conceived.  I  was  invited  to  several  of 
these  banquets ;  a  great  chief,  in  particular,  wished  to  give 
me  a  special  mark  of  his  friendship  and  respect  for  me.  He 
had  filled  his  great  kettle  with  little  fat  dogs,  skins  and  all. 
He  presented  me,  on  a  wooden  platter,  the  fattest,  well 
boiled.  I  found  the  meat  really  delicate,  and  I  can  vouch 
that  it  is  preferable  to  sucking-pig,  which  it  nearly  resembles 
in  taste. 

The  Indians  regaled  me  several  times  with  a  dish  highly 
esteemed  among  them.  It  consists  of  plums,  dried  in  the 
8un,  and  afterwards  prepared  with  pieces  of  meat,  like  a 
stew.  I  must  own  that  I  found  it  quite  palatable.  But  hear 
what  I  learned  subsequently,  as  to  their  manner  of  preparing 
it.  When  an  Indian  woman  wishes  to  preserve  the  plums, 
which  grow  in  profusion  here,  she  collects  a  great  quantity, 
and  then  invites  her  neighbors  to  her  lodge  to  pass  an 
agreeable  afternoon.  Their  whole  occupation  then  consists 
in  chatting  and  sucking  the  stones  from  the  plums,  for  they 
keep  only  the  skins,  which,  after  being  sun-dried,  are  kept 
for  grand  occasions. 

The  wagons  containing  the  presents  destined  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  the  Indians,  reached  here  on  the  20th  of  Sep- 
tember. The  safe  arrival  of  this  convoy  was  an  occasion  of 
general  joy.  Many  were  in  absolute  destitution.  The  next 
day  the  wagons  were  unloaded  and  the  presents  suitably 
arranged.  The  flag  of  the  United  States  floated  from  a  tall 
staflF  before  the  tent  of  the  superintendent,  and  a  discharge  of 
cannon  announced  to  the  Indians  that  the  division  of  the 
presents  was  about  to  take  place.  Without  delay,  the  occu- 
pants of  the  various  camps  flocked  in,— men,  women,  and 
children,— in  great  confusion,  and  in  their  gayest  costume, 
daubed  with  paints  of  glaring  hues,  and  decorated  with  all 
the  gewgaws  they  could  boast.    They  took  the  respective 

10 


I 


110 


WE8TEBN   MISSIONS 


places  assigned  to  each  particular  band,  thus  forming  an  im- 
mense circle,  covering  several  acres  of  land,  and  the  mer- 
chandise was  displayed  in  the  centre.  The  view  of  such  an 
assembly  would  give  an  interesting  theme  to  a  Hogarth  or  a 
Cruikshank. 

The  great  chiefs  of  the  diflferent  nations  were  served  first, 
and  received  suits  of  clothes.  You  may  easily  imagine 
their  singular  movements  on  appearing  in  public,  and  the 
admiration  which  they  excited  in  their  comrades,  who  were 
never  weary  inspecting  them.  The  great  chiefs  were,  for 
the  first  time  in  their  lives,  pantalooned ;  each  was  arrayed 
in  a  general's  uniform,  a  gilt  sword  hanging  at  his  side. 
Their  long,  coarse  hair  floated  above  the  military  costume, 
and  the  whole  was  crowned  by  the  burlesque  solemnity  of 
their  painted  faces. 

Colonel  Mitchell  employed  the  Indians  as  his  agents  in 
distributing  the  presents  to  the  various  bands.  The  arrange- 
ments were  characterized  by  benevolence  and  justice.  The 
conduct  of  this  vast  multitude  was  calm  and  respectful. 
Not  the  slightest  index  of  impatience  or  of  jealousy  was  ob- 
served during  the  distribution  ;  each  band  appeared  indifier- 
ent  until  its  portion  was  received.  Then,  glad,  or  satisfied, 
but  always  quiet,  they  removed  from  the  plain  with  their 
families  and  their  lodges.  They  had  heard  the  good  news 
that  the  bison  were  numerous  on  the  south  fork  of  the 
Platte,  three  days'  march  from  the  plain,  and  they  hastily 
turned  their  steps  in  that  direction,  resolved  to  make  the 
buffaloes  atone  for  the  hunger  they  had  recently  suffered  on 
the  great  council  plain. 

This  assembly  will  form  an  era  among  them,  and  I  trust 
will  be  ever  dear  to  their  memories.  It  closed  on  the  23d 
of  September. 

Tho  happy  results  of  this  council  are,  no  doubt,  owing  to 


If;'    1 


AND  MISSIONABIES. 


Ill 


the  prudent  measures  of  the  commissaries  of  government, 
and  more  especially  to  their  conciliatory  manners  in  all  their 
intercourse  and  transaction  with  the  Indians.  The  council 
will  doubtless  produce  the  good  effects  they  have  a  right  to 
expect.  It  will  be  the  commencement  of  a  new  era  for  the 
Indians — an  era  of  peace.  In  future,  peaceable  citizens  may 
cross  the  desert  unmolested,  and  the  Indians  will  have  little 
to  dread  from  the  bad  white  man,  for  justice  will  be  rendered 
to  him. 

Accept,  (fee, 

P.  J.  De  Smkt,  S.  J. 


iia 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


i  i^ 


ii'S 


Letter  VII 

To  TiiK  Editor  of  TRftcis  Uistoriquks,  Brussbu. 
Journey  to  the  Great  Desert  in  1861, 
_.^^^^  ^  Univkbbity  o»  St.  Louis,  Jan.  80, 1852. 

Quito  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  23d  of  September  I 
bade  farewell  to  the  Creoles,  Canadians,  and  half-bloods.  I 
exhorted  them  to  live  well,  and  to  pray  to  God,  and  to  hope 
that  ho  would  soon  send  them  spiritual  succor  for  their  tem- 
poral and  eternal  happiness,  and  that  of  their  children.  I 
shook  hands  for  the  last  time  with  the  great  chiefs  and  with 
a  large  number  of  Indians,  and  addressed  them  some  en- 
couraging words,  and  promised  to  plead  their  cause  with 
the  great  chiefs  of  the  Black-gowns,  and  make  known  the 
desire,  good  intentions,  and  hopes  they  had  expressed  to  me, 
while  they  would  daily,  in  all  sincerity  of  heart,  implore  the 
"Master  of  Life"  to  send  them  zealous  priests  to  instruct 
them  in  the  way  of  salvation,  which  Jesus  Christ,  his  only 
Son,  came  to  trace  to  his  children  on  earth. 

I  directed  my  course  towards  "  the  springs,"  situated  about 
fourteen  miles  distant,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  trading-house 
at  Robidoux,  for  Colonel  Mitchell  had  named  this  as  the 
rendezvous  for  all  those  who  proposed  going  directly  to  the 
United  States.  On  the  24th,  before  sunrise,  we  set  out  in 
good  and  numerous  company.  I  visited,  in  my  way,  two 
trading-houses,  in  order  to  baptize  five  half-blood  children. 


no 


•yi 


AND  MTSSIONARtlW. 


118 


In  tlie  course  of  th«  day  wo  paswcd  the  famous  Chimney- 
rock,  80  often  (k'Hcribed  hy  travellers.  I  had  already  seen  it, 
in  1840  and  1841,  in  my  lirst  visit  to  the  Uocky  Mountains, 
and  tnentioned  it  in  my  letters.  I  found  it  considerably  di- 
luiuished  in  height. 

V\'e  cast  a  last  look  upon  the  singular  productions  of 
nature,  the  Castle  atid  thn  Tovvtir,  which  are  near  the  Chim- 
ney, and  resemble  the  ruins  of  lordly  residences  scattered 
over  several  acres,  and  presenting  a  very  elevated  and  broken 
surface,  amid  a  level  plain. 

Arrived  on  the  Platte,  at  the  place  known  as  Ash  Hollow, 
we  turned  our  steps  towards  the  South  Fork,  fifteen  miles 
Rway,  over  a  beautiful  rolling  country  of  great  elevation. 
Here  we  met  the  Prince  P.,  accompanied  only  by  a  l*russian 
oflicer,  ou  their  way  to  enjoy  a  hunt  in  the  Wind  River 
Mountains.  We  exchantred  our  little  news,  and  received 
with  pleasure  the  interesting  information  which  the  prince 
gave  us.  Ills  excellency  must  be  indeed  courageous,  to 
undertake  at  his  age  so  long  a  journey  in  such  a  wilderncssj 
with  but  one  man  as  suite,  and  in  a  wretched  little  open 
•wagon,  which  carried  the  prince  and  his  officer,  as  well  as 
their  whole  baggage  and  provisions.  Later,  I  learned  that 
the  prince  intends  to  choose  a  location  suited  to  agriculture, 
for  the  pur})ose  of  founding  a  German  colony. 

We  live  in  an  age  when  wonders  multiply  ;  wo  cannot  say 
what,  in  the  way  of  colonization,  may  not  come  to  pass  in  a 
short  time,  after  witnessing  the  success  of  the  Mormons,  who 
in  less  than  five  years  have  changed  the  face  of  a  frightful 
desert,  and  live  there  in  great  abundance.  Yet  I  am  free  to 
maintain,  that  if  the  prince  has  really  formed  the  plan  as- 
cribed to  him,  which  1  scarcely  credit,  I  pity  from  the  bot- 
tom of  my  heart  those  who  first  embark  m  the  expedition. 
The  enemies  whom  they  would  have  to  meet  ax^  still  to^ 

10* 


4 


lU 


WK8TEUN   MISSIONS 


powerful :  CrowB,  ninck-Feet,  Sioux,  Slicyennos,  Rnpnlios,  and 
8uake8,  aro  the  most  fciiretl  and  wmliko  of  tho  desalt. 

A  colony  eHtttbliHhed  in  such  a  neigliborhood,  and  against 
tho  will  of  tho  nuniorouH  waiiiko  tribes  in  the  vicinity  of 
those  mountain.H,  would  run  great  dangers  and  meet  heavy 
obstacles.  The  iunuonco  of  religion  alono  can  prepare  these 
parts  for  such  a  transfornmtion.  The  threats  and  promises 
df  colonists,  their  guns  and  sabres,  would  never  effect  what 
can  bo  accomplished  by  tho  peaceful  word  of  the  Black- 
gown,  and  tho  sight  of  the  humanizing  sign  of  the  cross. 

From  the  crossing  of  tho  South  Fork  to  the  junction  of 
tho  Great  Forks,  tho  distance  is  reckoned  to  be  soventy-ftve 
miles,  and  thence  to  Fort  Kearney  one  hundecd  and  fifty 
miles.  Wood  is  very  rare  between  tho  Platte  and  tho  Ne- 
braska. From  tho  junction  of  tho  two  Forks  to  the  mbuth 
of  the  valley  is  six  or  eight  miles  wide,  while  the  bed  of  tho 
river  is  about  two  miles  in  width.  In  tho  spring,  at  tho 
melting  of  the  snows,  when  this  river  is  high,  it  presents  a 
magnificent  sheet  of  water,  with  numerous  isles  and  islets 
covered  with  verdure,  and  skirted  with  cotton-trees  and  wil- 
lows. In  the  autumn,  on  the  contrary,  it  loses  all  interest 
and  beauty.  Its  waters  then  escape  into  a  great  number  of 
almost  imperceptible  passages  and  channels  among  the  sand- 
banks which  cover  tho  bed  through  its  whole  length  and 
extent. 

When  wood  fails,  as  frequently  happens  on  the  banks  of 
the  Platte  or  Nebraska,  tho  meals  are  cooked  at  fires  of  bison- 
dung,  which,  when  dried,  burns  like  turf. 

The  soil  of  the  Nebraska  is  in  general  rich  and  deep,  min- 
gled, however,  with  sand  in  several  localities.  There  is  a 
great  variety  of  grasses,  which  with  numerous  shrubs,  cov- 
ered with  flowers  of  dazzling  beauty,  present  a  wide  field  of 
study  to  tho  lover  of  botany.     As  we  retire  from  the  vale,  a 


AND  MWSIONARrES. 


115 


very  wnniblo  clinngo  in  perceptible  in  the  productions  of  the 
ioil:  instcftd  of  tlio  former  robust  and  vigoroun  vej^ctation,' 
the  pluitis  MO  overj^rown  with  a  «hort,  crisp  griwii ;  however, 
it  ii  very  nouriHhirig,  and  en^^orly  nought  by  the  herd*  of 
buffalo  and  countlfws  wild  aiiinmls  that  grjizo  on  them. 

Wo  ariived  at  Fort  Kearney  on  the  2d  of  October,  whera 
Colonel  Mitchell,  the  superintendent,  held  a  conference  with 
K  deputation  of  Rome  twenty  Tawnoo   chiefs   and   braves. 
They  expressed  their  regret  that,  not  having  assinted  at  the 
great  council,  they  found  themselves  excluded  from  the  ad- 
vantages that  the  treaty  would  secure  to  the  other  nations, 
and  had  no  share  in  the  presents  made  by  the  government. 
They  all  made  solemn  promises  to  adhere  to  the  spirit  of  tho 
treaty,  and  to  execute  tho  orders  of  their  "  Groat  Father  tho 
President,"  who  desired  that  they  should  live  peaceably  with 
all  their  neighbors,  and  decreed  tho  cessation  of  all  depreda- 
tions exercised  against  travellers  from  the  United  StiiUis  who 
cross  this  territory.     These  Pawnee  chiefs  and  warriors  re- 
ceived with  all  the  politeness  of  Indian  customs  the  various 
deputations  which  accompanied  us  on  their  way  to  Wash- 
ington,—that  is,  the  Sioux,  Chcyennes,  and  Rapahos,  hither- 
to their  mortal   enemies,— regaling   them   with   banquets, 
dances,  and  songs.     "  My  heart  leaps  with  joy,"  shouted  a 
chief  of  the  Pawnee  Wolves,  »  because  I  find  myself  in  pres- 
ence of  those  that  from  my  infancy  I  have  been  taught  to 
consider  as  my  mortal  foes.     Sheyennes,  I  and  my  warriors 
have  made  many  incursions  into  your  territories,  to  steal 
your  horses,  and  rob  you  of  your  scalps.     Yes,  my  heart 
bounds  with  delight,  for  it  had  never  dreamed  of  meeting 
yon  fiico  to  face,  and  of  touching  your  hand  in  friendship. 
You  see  me  here  poor— I  have  not  aTiorse  to  mount.  Well, 
I  will  gladly  go  on  foot  the  remainder  of  my  days,  if  the 
tomahawk  is  to  be  buried  by  all."    Uq  offered  the  calumet 


III 


116 


WKflTKIt.V    MISSIONH 


t>  nil  thft-t^pntlwi,  «nd  wvornl  •cofpt«d  it.  A  young  Rlia- 
yuimo  clnvf,  unuwd  "  II.i  who  monnfn  th«  oIoikU,"  rvfmvil  to 
touch  it,  nud  thim  atiHWoiml  tho  I'livvrisfl:  "N«ith«'r  fhnii  unr 
thy  jMiopIo  hiivo  irivituil  mo  into  your  territory.  My  futhor," 
t<Mo<l  ho,  pointirij^  to  the  mijM'rinteii.i.'nf,  "  n-qucitod  tno  to 
follow  him,  ntul  I  follow  him:  I  muu-pt,  not  thy  calumet  of 
pmcci,  Itmt  I  butray  th.'o.  I'orchatK'o  whilo  I  now  wpeak  to 
theo,  our  bravo  warriorn  m-ok  the  lo<l^«(«  of  thy  tribf.  No! 
•  I  will  not  tlocoivo  thee,  therefore  kn«rw  that  peace  cxiHtu  not 
between  mo  and  theo.  I  hpcak  thiw  f.^arhiSMly  and  clearly, 
for  I  stand  beneath  the  banner  of  my  father." 

Tho  alliiMions  of  tho  Sh(>yenno  seemed  not  to  mar  the  ex- 
i8tinj<  harmony;  the  dancoH,  sonj^s,  speecbos,  and  banquett 
were  kej^  up  till  lato  in  tho  night. 
Tho  followin^r  are  the  namoH  of  tho  Indian  deputies. 
Tho  Siioyenno  envoys  nro  — Fol-t  vokammant,  or  Tho 
White  Antelope;  Obalawxka,  or  Red  Skin;  and  Voive 
atoish,  or  Tho  man  that  mounts  tho  clouds. 

Tho  liapaho  deputies  ani—iVehuntitah,  or  Eagle's  Head* 
X^ocohotha,  or  The  Tempest ;  and  Vaah,  or  Friday! 

The  Sioux  deputies  Mo—JIahoutzclzc,  or  Tho  Unicorn  ; 
Kaive  ou  nive,  or  Tho  Little  Clnef ;  Ponskawit  cah  cah,  or 
The  Shollinan  ;  Chukahakcechtah,  or  Tho  Watchful  Elk  ;  and 
Mawgah,  or  tlio  Goose ;  tho  last  belongs  to  the  Black-Foot 
Sioux. 

Tho  two  Ottos  and  their  wives,  wlio  joined  us  afterw  rds, 
were,  Wah-rush-a-mcticc,  or  tho  Bla>  L  Deer ;  and  his  ^'k, 
Mookapec,  or  tho  Eagle's  Flumo  :  IFah-shocher/orah,  o.  xuj 
lilack  liear;  and  his  wife,  Ilou  ohpec,  or  Tho  Singing  Bird. 

At  Fort  Kearney  wo  pait'.'d  with  Colonel  Mitchell  and  iiis 
suite,  who  took  the  route  to  Tabl.  River.  I  joined  Major 
Fitzpatiick  UU-'  tlio  deputies,  and  \  continued  on  tho  south- 
ern route,  whi,  1  2ri>«sc3  tho  Indian  territory. 


Tho  0 
Oruat  lil 
leading  I 

of  tho  ri 
troot  of 
variety  o 
plates  al 
tifti!  gro 
l>lantod  I 
«llod  witi 
tho  prair 
toct  tho  y 
dure  a<.lo 
'  fuming  tl 

1'he  vji 
table  soil 
tho  remai 
nblo  for  n 
run  over 
fine  fish. 

Major 
order  to  j 
of  witnes 
making  ii 
convince 
to  happin 
habits  vf 
ing  from 

We  re 
the  11th  ( 
the  Missit 

To  giv 
ing  of  the 


AND   MISAIONABIH. 


117 


The  country  botwecm  tho  frontiers  of  MwnnnH  and  the 
Ofiftt  llluo  Uivcr  j>r«'w.|itii  n  romarkubli)  nnitonnity  in  all  i.'n 
iMtling  fMi4tiir«'«.  Clay  noil,  rolliii!;  piuirii's,  hikI  tlui  Bhorcs 
of  lljo  rivor  wull  W(>o<lt'il.  Voii  mo«t  fon-hU  of  oak  and  nut- 
treM  of  all  vurittim,  with  inaplo  and  cotton-woo<l  nnd  ii 
varioty  oi'  fWH  found  in  the  cimt.  Tlio  hiil-Hidch  in  si'vorul 
plaiui  al)ouuU  »n  fine  Hpringn  of  wntor,  nurrouiHUtd  by  Ix-'au- 
tifr!  gro  OR,  un-Hngi'd  wiih  h»  imii^h  order  and  timto  m  if 
planted  l.y  the  hund  of  innti.  VVIiilo  u  luxuriant  turf,  mnm- 
ollod  with  frui^rant  th)\ver«,  rophices  tlio  l»riai»  and  undorwood, 
the  prairie*  on  all  Hid<m,  Hurroundrd  by  foro-^ts  which  pro- 
tect the  watttr-courHe.H,  present  to  tlio  wight  an  o(5ean  of  ver- 
dure adorned  with  flowers,  agitated  by  the  wind,  and  per- 
•  fuming  the  air  with  a  thousand  odors. 

1'ho  valo  of  the  Kanziw  ia  broad,  of  a  deep,  brown  vege- 
table soil :  the  same  remark  may  bo  made  of  the  valleys  of 
the  remaining  rivers  of  this  territory,  all  of  which  are  suit- 
fiblo  for  agricidture.  The  streams  of  water  are  clear;  they 
run  over  pebbi)  beds,  between  high  banks,  and  teem  with 
fine  fish. 

Major  Fitzpatrick  preferred  taking  the  southern  route,  in 
order  to  give  our  friends,  the  Indian  deputies,  an  opportunity 
of  witnessing  the  progress  that  the  tribes  are  capable  of 
making  in  agriculture  and  the  mechanic  arts,  lie  wished  to 
convince  them  that  labor  and  its  results  gradually  conduct 
to  happiness  and  ease,  and  convince  them  that  by  adopting 
habit3  vf  industry  man  is  freed  from  the  necessity  of  wander- 
ing from  place  to  place  to  obtain  8ub«istence. 

We  reached  St.  Mary's,  among  the  Potawatomies,  on 
the  1 1  th  of  October.  Bishop  Miege,  and  the  otlier  Fathers  of 
the  Mission,  received  us  with  great  cordiality  and  kindness. 

To  give  the  Indian  deputies  a  relish  for  labor  by  the  tast- 
ing of  the  various  products  of  farming,  a  quantity  of  vcgeta- 


II        M 


HI 


118 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


*! 


% 


r-M' 


lies  and  fruits  were  set  before  them.  Potatoes,  carrots,  tur- 
nips, squashes,  parsneps,  melons,  with  apples  and  poaches, 
graced  the  board,  and  our  forest  friends  did  them  most  ample 
honor.  Ono  of  the  chiefs,  "  Eagle  Head,"  said  to  me,  "  Now, 
Father,  we  comprehend  thy  words.  Thou  hast  told  us  that 
in  a  few  years  the  buffaloes  would  disappear  from  our  terri- 
tory ;  that  we  must  take  measures  against  the  day  of  need ; 
that  then  we  can  reap  from  the  earth  subsistence  and  even 
plenty  for  our  children.  When  thou  wast  speaking  to  us, 
our  ears  were  shut ;  now  they  are  opened,  for  we  have  eaten 
the  products  of  the  soil.  We  see  here  a  happy  people,  well 
f^d  and  well  clothed.  We  hope  that  the  great  Father  (the 
Bishop)  will  take  pity  on  us  and  on  our  children.  We  wish 
to  have  Black-gowns  with  us,  and  we  will  cheerfully  attend 
to  their  words." 

The  day  after  was  Sunday,  and  all  attended  High  Mass. 
The  church  was  well  filled.     The  choir,  composed  of  half- 
bloods  and  Indians,  sung  admirably  the  Gloria,  the  Credo, 
and  several  hymns.     The  Rev.  Fat'ier  Gailland  delivered  a 
sermon  in  Potawatomie,  which  lasted  three  quarters  of  an 
hour,  and  the  number  of  communicants  was  large.     All  this, 
joined  with  the  attention,  modesty,  and  devotion   of  the 
whole  auditory,  some  with  prayer-books  and  others  with 
beads,  made  a  profound  and,  I  hope,  durable  impression  on 
the  minds  of  our  Indians  of  the  plains.    During  several  days 
they  never  ceased  taljiiug  with  me  and  questioning  on  all 
they  had  seen,  calling  it  the  doctrine  that  renders  men  happy 
here  and  conducts  them  to  heaven.     We  found  the  Mission 
in  a  flourishing  state ;  the  two  schools  are  well  attended  ;  a 
community  of  religious  of  the  Sacred  Heart  have  concili- 
ated the  affection  of  the  women  and  girls  of  the  nation,  and 
are  working  among  them  with  the  greatest  success.     The 
Potawatomies  approach  their  residences  nearer  and  nearer  U 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


119 


the  church  and  to  their  "  Good  Fjithcrs,"  and  have  resolute!/ 
commenced  cultivating  the  ground  and  raising  domestic  ani- 
mals. Every  Sunday  the  Fathers  have  the  consolation  of 
contemplating  a  beautiful  congregation  of  Indians  assembled 
in  the  wood-built  cathedral,  and  on  an  average  one  hundred 
and  twenty  piously  approaching  the  Holy  Communion.  Wo 
spent  two  days  visiting  the  Mission.  The  Indian  chiefs 
quitted  the  establishment  with  hearts  overflowing  with  de- 
light, and  in  the  consoling  expectation  of  having  similar 
happiness  in  their  own  tribes  at  no  very  distant  future.  God 
grant  their  hopes  may  be  realized  1 

The  weather  was  fine,  and  in  three  days  we  attained 
Westport  and  Kanzas  on  the  Missouri. 

On  the  ]6th  of  October  we  took  places  on  board  the 
steamboat  Clara.  Our  Indian  deputies  had  never  seen  a  vil- 
lage or  settlement  of  whites  except  what  they  had  seen  at 
Fort  Laramie  and  at  Fort  Kearney ;  they  knew  nothing  of 
the  manner  in  which  houses  are  constructed,  hence  they 
were  in  constant  admiration  ;  and  when  for  the  first  time 
they  saw  a  steamboat  their  wonder  was  at  its  height,  although 
they  appeared  to  entertain  a  certain  fear  as  they  stepped  on 
board.  A  considerable  time  elapsed  before  they  became  ac- 
customed to  the  noise  arising  from  the  escape  of  steam,  and 
the  bustle  that  took  place  at  the  ringing  of  bells,  etc.  They 
called  the  boat  a  ''fire-came,''  and  were  transported  with 
delight  at  the  sight  of  another  boat  ascending  with  a  small 
boat  behind,  which  they  called  a  ''pappoose;'  or  little  child. 
When  their  apprehensions  of  danger  had  subsided,  their  cu- 
riosity augmented  ;  they  took  the  liveliest  interest  in  what- 
ever they  saw  for  the  first  time.  They  were  in  grand  cos- 
tume and  seated  themselves  on  the  promenade  deck ;  as  the 
boat  approached  the  several  towns  and  villages  in  her  prog- 
ress, they  hailed  each  with  shouts  and  songs. 


I 


I   * 


120 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


% 


t''i 


On  tlie  22cl  of  October  wo  reached  St.  Louis.  A  few 
days  after  all  the  members  of  the  Indian  deputation  were 
invited  to  a  banquet  given  in  our  University.  Thev  were 
highly  pleased  at  the  reception  given  them  by  the  Rev. 
Father  I'rovincial,  and  oveiloyed  at  the  encouraging  hope 
that  he  gave  them  of  having  Black-gowns  among  them — a 
liope  perhaps  soon  to  be  realized. 

Recommending  the  poor  Indian  to  your  prayers,  I  beg 
you  to  believe  me  with  profound  respect,  * 

Yours,  etc.,  etc., 

4*.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 

Note.— The  worl  "Medicine"  is  frequently  found  in  letters  written 
on  the  religious  ideas,  practices,  and  customs  of  the  North  American 
Indians.  It  is  necessary  to  know  the  siguilication  that  the  Indiana 
themselves  attach  to  this  word. 

The  term  Wah-kon  is  employed  by  the  Indians  to  express  any  thing 
tliat  they  cannot  understand,  whether  supernatural,  natural,  or  me- 
chanical. A  watch,  an  organ,  a  steamboat,  or  any  thing  in  fine,  the 
operations  of  which  exceed  their  capacity  to  understand,  is  called  Wah- 
kon.  God  is  called  Wah-kon-tonga,  or  the  Great  Incomprehensible. 
The  word  Ton(ja  in  Sioux  means  great  or  large. 

Wah-kon  means,  properly,  incomprohenwble,  inexpressible.  It  ia 
badly  translated  by  the  whites,  who  always  render  it  medicine ;  thus, 
for  example,  the  word  Wah-kon-tonga,  or  God,  has  been  translated 
Great  Medici/ne  ! 

The  word  medicine  has  since  been  so  universally  applied  to  the  differ- 
«nt  religious  and  superstitious  ceremonies  of  the  Indians,  that  all  trav- 
ellers use  it  when  writing  of  the  natives. 

The  word  medicine,  when  applied  to  Indian  ceremonies,  whether  re- 
ligious or  superstitiouo,  has,  however,  no  relation  to  the  treatment  of 
the  body,  but  it  has  been  so  commonly  adopted  that  I  am  forced  to  use 
it  when  speaking  of  the  Indians.  Thence  are  derived  the  compounds, 
"medicine-feast,"  •' medicine-dance,"  "medicine-man,"  etc.,  and  also 
'■'■medimie-lag,''''  or  sack,  containing  idols,  charms,  and  other  supersti- 
tious articles. 

My  intention  in  giving  this  little  note  is  to  distinguish  between  medi- 
cine used  in  the  sense  of  medicament,  and  the  same  word  applied  to 
charms,  religious  invocations,  and  ceremonies. 


K:' 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


121 


Letter  VIII. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Precis  Historiques,  Brussels. 
Shipwrech  of  the  5th  of  December,  1858. 

My  dear  Brothers  :       ^™''"'  °'  ''•  ''°"'^'  ''^' ''  '''*' 

I  profit  by  my  earliest  leisure  moments,  to  inform  you 
that  we  happily  arrived  at  our  place  of  destination  on  the 
27th  day  of  December. 

I  wish  you  and  your  dear  children  a  happy  and  prosper- 
ous New  Year,  and  I  implore  God  to  pour  down  upon  you 
daily  his  choicest  favors  and  blessings.  I  can  never  forget 
the  fraternal  attachment  and  extreme  goodness  manifested  to 
me  so  continually  during  my  short  visit  to  the  land  of  my 
nativity.  ^ 

I  inclose  you  a  little  sketch  of  my  long  and  dangerous 
voyage.  As  I  am  overwhelmed  with  business,  I  am  forced 
to  write  in  haste— cwrren^e  calamo. 

The  17th  of  November,  the  day  on  which  I  bade  you  fare- 
well, will  not  soon  be  effaced  from  my  memory.  The  fol- 
^wing  day  I  rejoined  Mgr.  Miege  and  his  companions,  at 
Pans.  Th£  eight  young  men  who  accompanied  me  had 
only  two  days  to  allow  them  a  cursory  view  of  this  great 
city,  or  interminable  fair.  They,  however,  visited  its  most 
splendid  palaces,  and  its  principal  monuments,  with  the  pub- 
lic squares  of  this  extensive  and  wonderful  capital,  and  the 
palaces  and  gardens  of  Versailles. 

11 


n    I 


111 


n 


f 


KV 


III! 


^sb' 


122 


WE8TEBN   MISSIONS 


On  tbe  second  we  arrived  at  Havre,  so  as  to  be  ready  to 
embark  thence  on  the  morrow.    The  whole  day  was  em- 
ployed in  collecting  our  trunks,  boxes,  and  cases,  which  were 
in  the  difterent  oflBces  of  the  port,  and  in  making  prepara- 
tions for  our  voyage.    The  American  steamer  was  already  in 
the  roadstead,  about  two  leagues  from  the  city,  and  a  small 
towboat  was  waiting  to  conduct  her  passengers  to  her.     I 
bad  left  my  thirteen  companions  for  an  hour,  to  go  in  search 
of  three  boxes  at  the  custom-house,  and  have  them  trans- 
ported directly  on  board  of  the  Humboldt.     On  my  arrival 
at  the  proper  place  of  embarking,  all  the  passengers  were 
there  in  readiness,  except  my  company.     I  immediately  sent 
Bome  eight  or  ten  persons  in  search  of  them,  who  ecarched 
all  the  streets  and  wharves  of  Havre  for  six  hours,  without 
procuring  the  least  information  concerning  them.    The  mo- 
ment named  for  sailing  arrived !  when  a  gendarme^  to  whom 
I  had  addressed  myself  as  a  last  resource,  and  the  surest, 
after  all,  hastened  to  draw  me  from  my  embarrassment  by 
informing  me  that  the  young  gentlemen  that  were  giving 
me  so  much  solicitude  had  been  on  the  Humboldt  the  last 
six  hours,  and  that  they  also  were  in  great  anxiety  concern- 
ing my  delay.     In  a  word,  they  had  mistaken  their  course  in 
the  labyrinth  of  wharves  at  Havre,  and  thinking  they  had 
not  a  moment  to  spare,  had  hired  two  little  boats  to  convey 
them  to  the  steamer.     I  hastened  to  join  them,  and  reached 
the  ship  at  the  moment  they  were  heaving  the  anchor  to  put 
to  sea. 

I  found  gendarmes  on  board,  in  search  of  some  suspected 
individuals.  It  was  said  that  these  agents  had  received 
strict  orders  to  examine  all  the  passports  carefully.  My 
travelling  companions  were  all  provided,  except  one,  who  had 
joined  me  in  Paris,  with  the  consent  of  his  parents.  I  was 
not  without  anxiety  in  his  regard ;  but  our  young  deserter. 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


123 


M.  M****,  disguised  as  a  cabin-boy,  played  his  part  per- 
fectly ;  he  held  the  lantern  to  aid  the  police-officers  in  a  man- 
ner to  do  honor  to  the  most  skilful  cabin-boy,  during  their 
whole  visit  to  the  saloons  and  cabins.  All  the  passengers  pass- 
ed in  review,  all  the  passports  were  minutely  criticised ;  but 
the  agents  paid  no  attention  to  the  handsome  lantern-bearer, 
who  always  remained  close  by  them,  and  thus  quietly  escaped 
their  scrutiny.  My  anxiety,  however,  did  not  subside  until 
I  saw  the  gentlemen  leave  our  decks. 

Without  a  moment's  delay,  two  discharges  of  cannon 
announce  the  departure  of  the  Humboldt.  Every  officer, 
pilot,  and  sailor  is  at  his  post.  The  wliistling  of  the  steam- 
engine  is  heard  for  the  last  time,  so  shrill  that  it  penetrates 
the  very  heart  of  the  town  :  it  is  the  signal  of  the  engineer. 
The  captain  with  his  speaking-trumpet  orders  the  departure, 
and  the  steamer  steers  her  course  in  the  direction  of  South- 
ampton and  Cowes — places  between  the  Isle  of  Wight  and 
the  coasts  of  England,  where  English  passengers  and  the 
English  mails  are  received.  It  was  only  in  the  evening  of 
the  23d  that  she  took  the  direction  of  New  York. 

For  fourteen  days  the  Humboldt  combated  against  a 
stormy  sea  and  violent  west  wind ;  Neptune  received  this  time 
a  double  tribute  from  those  who  were  so  bold  as  to  hazard 
crossing  his  domain  in  this  season  of  the  year.  The  greatest 
sufferer  was  Bishop  Miege,  who  kept  his  bed  constantly. 
The  next  was  young  Fortune  Hegel,  of  Brussels,  who  has  too 
weak  a  stomach  ever  to  make  a  good  sailor  ;  he  supported 
this  misery  with  great  fortitude,  never  regretting  that  he  had 
left  his  quiet  home  for  some  years.  All  the  others  escaped 
tolerably  ;  as  to  myself,  I  felt  almost  no  inconvenience  from 
sea-sickness  during  the  whole  voyage.  To  the  violent  storms 
of  wind  we  must  add  several  other  disagreeable  circumstan- 
ces :  the  steam-engine  got  out  of  order  several  times,  and  the 


• 

1 

124 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


''!ii 


boilers  throatoned  to  blow  us  in  the  /vir;  the  coal  was  of  a 
bad  qviality,  and  that,  even,  hcortm  to  become  scarce  on  the 
twelfth  day  of  our  voyage.  Wo  were  obliged  to  deviate 
from  our  ordinary  route,  to  get  a  supply  of  coal  at  Halifax, 
a  seaport  of  Nova  Scotia.  This  neglect  on  the  part  of  the 
company  was  extremely  fatal  in  its  consequences. 

In  the  forenoon  of  the  6th  of  December,  about  five  leagues 
from  port,  a  fishernuui  presented  himself  on  board  as  a  pdot, 
and  declared  to  the  cai)tain,  who  demanded  his  certificates,' 
"  that  his  papers  were  either  in  his  boat,  or  at  his  own  house." 
The  captain  relied   upon  his  word,  and  intrusted  him  with 
the  management  of  the  ship.     Against  the  expressed  opinion 
of  the  officers,  the  false  pilot  changed  the  boat's  direction, 
and  notwithstanding  their  reiterated  remonstrances,  he  per- 
sisted in  his  obstinacy.     An  hour  and  a  half  afterwards,  the 
Humboldt  struck  on  the  dangeious  rocks  called  "  The  Sisters," 
in  the  neighborhood  of  Devil's  Island.     It  was  half-past  six 
in  the  morning— the  greater  number  of  the  passengers  were 
Btill  in  their  berths.     The  shock  was  terrific  ;  I  was  walking 
on  the   deck  at  the  moment.     Discovering  directly  great 
pieces  of  wood  floating  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  I  has- 
tened to  warn  all  my  companions  of  their  danger,  for  they 
were  also  still  in  their  beds.     Young  Hegel  having  been 
intrusted  to  me  by  his  fether,  I  took  him  by  my  side  as  long 
as  the  danger  lasted,  and  kept  a  rope  in  my  hand  for  the 
purpose  of  lowering  him  into  the  firo„  life-boat  that  should 
be  launched.    All  had  been  startled  from  sleep.    Fear  had 
palsied  every  heart ;  and  while  the  water  was  pouring  into  the 
vessel  by  torrents,  fire  broke  out.    It  was  got  under  but  by 
great  exertion,  through  the  presence  of  mind  and  manly  ener- 
gy of  the  first  engineer ;  after  great  eff-orts,  they  succeeded  in 
extinguishing  it    As  if  all  things  conspired  to  our  destruc- 
tion, a  fog  arose,  so  thick  that  we  could  not  see  thirty  paces 


I 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


125 


from  tho  vessel.  The  whole  power  of  the  stcam-cngino  was 
exerted  in  an  attempt  to  gain  tho  shore,  six  miles  distant. 
Tlio  boat  soon  inclined  to  the  larboard  side,  whore  she  had 
sprung  a  leak,  jind  begun  to  go  down.  Every  arm  set  to 
work  to  aid  in  launching  tho  small-boats.  Ilud  not  tho  cap- 
tain exhibited  groat  presence  of  mind  and  an  extraordinary 
firmness,  there  would  have  been  much  tumult  and  disorder. 
There  was  a  rush  to  get  in  first,  but  happily  wo  were  not 
obliged  to  resort  to  this  means  of  saving  ourselves.  While 
tho  greater  number  Relieved  that  all  was  lost,  and  I  among 
the  rest,  the  ship  touched  again,  in  a  few  fathoms  of  water, 
and  rested  on  a  rock.     We  were  saved  ! 

Immediately  after  the  shipwreck,  the  fog  rose,  and  we 
then  discovered,  for  the  first  time  and  to  pur  joyful  surprise, 
that  tho  shore  was  only  ono  liundred  feet  from  us.  The  sea 
was  calm,  the  wind  lowered,  and  the  sun  rose  majestically. 
It  was  the  announcement  of  a  return  of  fine  weather,  which 
left  us  at  Havre  de  Grace,  and  now  accompanied  us  until  we 
reached  Missouii.  We  had  the  good  fortune  and  tho  time 
to  save  all  our  trunks,  travelling  bags,  and  boxes.  The  loss 
of  the  ship  and  cargo  was  estimated  at  $600,000. 

We  had  for  travelling  companions  on  the  Humboldt,  .Jews, 
Infidels,  and  Pi-otestauts  of  every  shade.  Some  of  the  voy- 
agers were  imbued  with  very  strong  prejudices  against  the 
Catholic  faith,  but  in  particular  against  Jesuits.  The  wreck 
of  tho  Humboldt  was  even  attributed  to  our  presence,  and  it 
was  maliciously  proposed  to  oblige  us  to  quit  as  soon  as 
possible. 

A  few  hours  after  the  wreck,  a  steamboat  from  Halifax 
came  to  our  aid.  The  Archbishop  of  that  city  treated  us 
with  great  kindness,  and  insisted  that  Mgr,  Miege  and  myself 
should  become  his  guests  during  our  stay.  The  next  morn- 
ing we  had  the  consolation  of  ofiering  the  sacrifice  of  mas3 

11^ 


If 


<   ;tl 


12G 


"WKSTKRN   MISSIONS 


v'l 


M 


in  the  Cftthodral,  nnd  my  companions  nil  received  Holy  Com- 
munion, to  thank  the  Alniiiflity  and  our  Lady  for  having 
saved  U8  aini.l  so  many  perils,  and  cHpeciaiiy  shipwreck, 
where  our  jito  was  in  danger.  Such  ciicunistancos  are  well 
suited  to  convince  us  that  wo  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord, 
who  protects  us  and  preserves  our  life,  or  calls  us,  as  he  wills,' 
before  his  trihunal. 

Halifax  numbers  about  25,000  souls,  one  third  of  whom 
are  Catholics,  and  contains  three  Catholic  churches,  two  con- 
vents,  and  four  schools. 

On  the  8th  of  Deoomber,  Feast  of  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception, after  the  celobiation  of  mass,  we  heard  that  the 
steamship  Niagara,  of  the  Liverpool  and  Boston  line,  was  in 
sight.  At  each  trip  she  stops  at  Halifax,  remaining  two 
hours.  All  the  passengers  of  the  Humboldt,  including^hose 
that  we  took  in  from  England,  went  on  board,  making  the 
total  of  passengers  more  than  four  hundred. 

Among  those  already  on  the  Niagara,  was  a  little  man, 
with  an  ape-like  face  and  a  goatish  beard,  who. called  himself 
Francis  Tnpon,  a  self-nominated   apostle,  and  self-commis- 
sioned to  teach  a   new  religion  to  the  universe.     Francis 
declared  himself  an  enemy  of  all  existing  creeds,  but  above 
all  to  the  Tope  and  the  Jesuits.     When  quitting  Liverpool, 
he  declared  openly  and  aloud  that  he  would  kill  the  Jirst 
Jesuit  that  ho  might  meet  on  American  soil !     In  fact,  he 
was  so  violent  that  the  captain  prudently  took  from  him'  his 
gun,  pistols,  and  poniards.     The  moment  I  set  foot  on  the 
Nuigara,  T  was  informed  of  these  interesting  particulars.     I 
advised  my  young  frien.ls  to  avoid   Mr.  Fi'ancis  Tapon,  and 
pay  no  sort  of  attention  to  his  words  or  movements.    He  pro- 
claimed  from   the  deck  the  progiamme  of  his  new  gospel, 
that  "was  to  succeed  all  religions."     Those  who  heaixl  him' 
shrugged  their  shoulders,  saving,  '-Th.-  man  is  crazy."     Oa 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


127 


arriving  at  Boston,  ho  made  several  ablutions,  to  tho  gteni 
ainusc!!nent  of  the  pa.HRongers,  saying  that  he  "  waa  wanking 
off  the  la$t  filth  of  Europe^  Mr.  Tapon  at  last  reached  the 
city,  and  wo  lost  sight  of  him,  witliout  receiving  a  blow. 

Ho  is  but  a  fanatic  more  for  thcso  States,  which  have 
already  unfortunately  received  thousands  fr-om  all  the  various 
countries  of  P^urope.  These  creatures  begin  to  agitate,  to 
harangue,  to  seek  to  change  the  CouRtitution,  and  make  the 
United  States  a  land  of  proscription,  especially  against  the 
Catholics. 

But  let  ua  resume  our  journey  of  voyage.  "We  had  fine 
weather,  and  a  pleasant  trip  from  Halifax  to  Boston,  which 
we  reached  at  night.  Our  Fathers  received  us  with  open 
arms  and  extraordinary  charity,  in  wliich  all  their  parishion- 
ers joined, — I  will  add  to  the  praise  of  the  German  congre- 
gation in  particular,  that  during  our  stay  at  Boston  they 
loaded  our  tables  with  poultry,  choice  vegetables,  cakes,  and 
fruits.  This  parish  numbers  about  3000  Catholics,  and  they 
are  distinguished  in  the  city  by  their  piety  and  zeal. 
Although  Boston  contains  a  Catholic  population  of  nearly 
75,000  souls,  there  are  but  fifteen  priests,  and  only  four  or 
five  Catholic  schools.  The  Sisters  of  Notre  Dame,  from 
Namur,  have  a  very  flourishing  establishment  here,  and  are 
doing  immense  good.  Their  bouses  in  America  are  very 
successful,  and  their  subjects  are  asked  for  in  many  of  our 
large  towns.  In  Cincinnati  these  good  sisters  teach  2000 
children  and  youth. 

I  accompanied  young  Hegle  as  far  as  St.  John's  College, 
%i  Fordham,  according  to  the  wishes  of  his  father,  who  had 
intrusted  him  to  my  care  for  this  purpose.  We  are  always 
astonished  at  the  rapid  increase  of  New  York,  the  great  me- 
tropolis of  the  United  States,  in  commerce  and  population. 
Its  inhabitants,  who  number  more  than  700,000,  are  the 


198 


WISTERN  MTflSIONS 


I 


If  I 


;itf 


do«con,lanf«  or  ropmsontatives  of  ovory  nfttion  benontli  tl.a 

Bun.     Tho  CatliolicM  tmtnhor  almut  2()(),0()0. 

I  retiinie.1  to  Boston  on  tho  14th.  Tho  .lay  following,  n)y 
conipntnons  (wh.)  wore  (jnito  recovered  from  their  fntimje) 
and  myHolf  ,,„i(to.l  this  oity.  Their  ast.mi^hm.M.t  was  un. 
eoa«ing  at  all  thoy  saw  in  Hoston,  which  is  styled  tho  Athena 
0/ America.  Ftn  con)nierce  is  very  groat,  and  its  population 
exceeds  160,000.  ^ 

We  rlHkod  ourselves  on  the  railroad,  l.y  Buffalo,  Cleveland, 
and   Columbus,  as  far  m  Cincinnati-a  distan.re  of  seven 
Iiundred  and  seventy  miles- a.ul  passed  over  it  in  (Iftv-two 
hours,  comprehending  all  the  delays  experiimced  at  th'e  nu- 
merous stations.    We  changed  cars  six  ti.nes  in  this  distance 
lo  not  astonished  at  tho  word  «m>t,"  for  accidents  on  all 
tho  routes  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  often  frightful 
lo-day.  It  may  be  that  a  bridge  has  been  left  open— a  Jiair- 
braincd  or  intoxicated  engineer  pays  no  attention,  and  loco- 
motive and  cars  are  precipitated  into  the  water;  to-morrow 
two  trains  will  meet  in  collision,  dashing  into  each  other  with 
all  the  velocity  that  steam  can  create.     In  a  word,  there  are 
all  kinds  of  accidents.     When  they  occur,  ji  list  is  given  of 
the  killed  and  disabled,  which  is  often  a  very  considerable 
one,  curious  inquiries  are  made,  and  some  days  after  there 
is  no  further  mention  of  tho  affair. 

At  Cincinnati  our  Fathers  were  most  deliglited  to  see  us 
arriving  with  thirteen  new  and  youthful  companions,  full  of 
fervent  zeal  to  labor  in  this  vast  vineyard  of  tho  Lord.  As 
we  approached  St,  Louis,  I  breathed  more  freely ;  I  was  no 
longer  harassed  with  anxiety— indeed  I  had  but  one  step  to 
take,  and  I  should  be  at  home.  However,  this  ''steji''  meas- 
ured seven  hundred  miles,  five  hundred  and  thirty  of  which 
were  to  be  passed  on  the  Ohio,  and  one  hundred  and  seventy 
on  the  Mississippi,  and  tliese  rivers  give  an  annual  list  of 


AND   MISSION  A  UIK8. 


129 


fearful  acciflentfl.  Wo  entorod  the  itofttnor  on  the  Ohio,  and 
on  tho  morninf?  «»f  tho  2lHt  found  our»«lvc»  cordiiilly  wol- 
comcd  by  our  Ftitlicrs  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  Continuing 
our  descent  on  tho  2'2d,  wo  arrived  at  tho  junction  of  tho 
Ohio  and  Mississippi  without  accident. 

My  young  companions  wero  never  weary  of  admiring  the 
graceful  and  varied  scenery  of  tho  lovely  Ohio,  now  gratify- 
ing tho  sight  by  a  chain  of  romantic  elevations,  then  by  a 
succession  of  rich  lowlands,  adorned  with  well-cultivated  and 
extensive  farms  ;  and  tho  attention  arrested  also  by  a  succes- 
sion of  ^''-./..-.uiiig  villages  and  cities. 

Tho  Mississippi  is  also  more  dangerous  than  tho  Ohio; 
exacting  from  its  navigators  during  tho  winter  many  pre- 
cautions, for  tho  river  is  then  low,  full  of  sand-banks,  saw- 
yers, and  floating  ice.  Wo  were  several  times  in  danger, 
and  three  different  times  our  boat  ran  aground,  and  we  be- 
lieved her  lost.  On  our  way  wo  saw  tho  wrecks  of  five  boats. 
Five  Lazarists,  who  shared  our  disasters  in  tho  llumboldt, 
arrived  in  St.  Louis  some  days  before  us,  but  only  after  hav- 
ing undergone  a  second  shipwreck,  and  having  been  immersed 
in  water  to  tho  neck. 

On  tho  26th  wo  reached  St.  Louis  in  safety,  and  animated 
•with  joyful  and  grateful  sentiments  on  finding  ourselves  at 
our  destination.  An  hour  after  my  arrival  I  had  the  comfort 
of  celebrating  mass,  in  thanksgiving  for  the  special  protec- 
tion and  blessings  extended  to  us  in  our  journey  from  Ghent 
to  St.  Louis. 

Believe  me,  dear  brothers. 

Your  devoted  brother, 

P.  J.  Dfi  Smet, 


'.v^Lll'»l•^mmnm0«%^',>.MMmii»li 


ISO 


WK8TFRN  UlmrONg 


1 


II 


r            •■:■ 

1              s 

^  ■•  r 

t 

■  % 

.   is 

LcKcr  IX 

The  Crmy  Bear,  an  Auinihia  ChUf, 
Oi»onm»Ti,  CoiLMi  „,  g-   v.-,,.    ,  , 

«ml  ,»„i„„,  fo,  I,,  „     /I  ,  n''"  *"■• ""''  "'"^"J'  '^-'™'» 


from 


I  "'^--""oof  Ja  ";:,;:  j'"  ?7'^^       "tl.e  Boar." 
t"  tl.0  Great  CouLu  L  is"..  "  '  "''"  ''«<'">P»-«d  mo 

"  To  «.  «,«■,«.«„  „/«„  „,.,„  j^^^.^^_ 
-. '-  a  «..  decree,  of  ..  ^  riTl^ral": 


AND  MMfllONARIEX. 


131 


01,  tnd  Imbm  I  couI«l  not  tliicover  to  you  my  Inmort  fed- 
inp»  and  cxplnln  to  you  tny  llioiighti*.     At  Fort  Union  you 
pri'uclii'd  to  UH— tcllitij?  uh  of  tho  Great  Spirit  and  hit  law. 
Vou  Haiti  you  woukl  nko  to  conu)  muI  toacli  u«,  to  as  to  amo- 
liorato  tho  mental  ami  moral  condition  of  our  triboa.     I 
think,  alfto,  that  you  gave  u«  roaaon  to  expect,  that  after  two 
or  throe  winters  nomo  IMuclc-gownH  would  come  and  establish 
thcmBclvcH  among  u«,  in  order  to  «how  u»  how  to  live  well, 
and  how  to  train  up  our  children.     Afterwards  we  travelled 
together  jw  far  aa  the  Platto.     During  that  journey,  and 
»ince  my  rolurn   from  Fort   Laramie,  I  have  learned  and 
beard  much  of  tho   iKjiiutiful  Word  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
which  you  fir»t  made  known  to  uh.     Now,  I  am  perRundod 
that  til  is  Word  would  change  our  state  and  render  us  happy. 
At  the  (Jreat  Council,  our  great  Father  (Colonel  Mitchell, 
Buperintendcnt  of  Indian  Territory)  told  us  that  Homo  Black- 
gowtm  would  come  and  live  among  us  in  the  course  of  four 
or  five  years.     IJlack-gown,  five  years  are  long  to  wait!     In 
this  long  interval  I  and  many  of  my  children  may  have  en- 
tered  the   land  of  spirits.     Take  pity  on  us !     Tho  Black- 
gowns  ought  not  to  delay  their  coming  so  long.     I  am 
growing  old  :  before  I  die  I  should  like  to  begin  the  work, 
and  then  I  could  depart  satisfied.     My  country  is  tranquil, 
we  are  at  peace  with  all  the  surrounding  tribes — our  ancient 
enemies,  the  Black-Feet,  are  the  only  ones  we  have  to  fear ; 
but  we  can  protect  you.     All  my  nation  call  aloud  for  the 
Black  gown,  and  invite  him  to  come  with  all  speed :  I  sin- 
cerely hope  that  our  expectation  may  not  be  deceived.     We 
know  that  the  Black-gowns  devote  themselves  to  the  happi- 
ness and  well-being  of  tho  Indians.     If  to  hasten  the  project 
pecuniary  aid  be  wanting,  I  will  cheerfully  give  a  portion  of 
the  annuities  of  my  tribe  to  meet  this  deticiency. 

•'  I  SCO  the  buffaloes  decrease  every  year.     What  will  be- 


132 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


■1  ! 


I 


VIH 


corae  of  MS  without  heb  ?    Tf  nnr  «i,m  i 

»ebag„osf  as  f     r  tie  P      ^'"'''•""^».  Sicx,  and  Wm- 
Omaha,,  and  0  J  on  ,1     M      "'l  """'  "'  "'°  Tawooe,, 

poaching  „3  0^'^°  'Ch"  ;,t:Z-    ?^  r.""^'  ""  '^ 

fflotivo  for  hastening  t,.;^""7"''«^^'''™l>  ■»  «  »ew 

"  i  hope  my  words  winT.t  '"»<^k-g<>"»  ""'ong  „,. 

of  ..3  an'd  ou^Sr'  iZtrrthirBrr"'""^ 

tie  request  of  your  friend,  '  ^'^'^''-g™".  »t 

"Tan  BwR,  a,y„/fe^,„-„,-}„.„^_„ 

honor  to  be,  '^""  ''"'^  ^^''rifl^^^,  I  have  the' 

Eev.  and  dear  Father,  ' 

Your  devoted  brother  in  Christ, 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 

the'inMrtWritm^rr''' "'"''■'"  "^  -««»g  m 
and  two  larrr^t  l?h      'r'°'''''''""'"gW-'e''. 

eaned  EansJ  alTtblt:"  I't^t  nTttt  t^  """^r 

feared  tbft  thir^rhe'e    ,e7fn^r    •'";  ''r'  "'  ''^  "->" 
You  can  see  what  I  1m  ^  '""'  ""  "'"^"^  ''"d'- 

1862.  '  '"'^  "'  "y  '^-=»<J  i^'tor,  in  January, 

«"d  original  de  1  o„Ti  l"T  *"  ^'"'  J"""  ^""^  "^^ 


"■**"-»•  Wi«»»* . 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


133 


so  great  here  just  now,  that  Catholic  papers  from  Europe 
can  scarcely  reach  us.     Wo  are  on  the  eve  of  great  difficul- 
ties.    The  anti-Catholic  spirit  increa.ses  daily.     All  the  cne- 
xnies  of  our  holy  religion  are  leagued  against  her.     As  in  all 
persecutions  they  seek  to  excite  the  masses  by  atrocious  lies 
and  calumnies     Within  the  last  few  days  three  Catholic 
churches  have  been  destroyed,  and  every  paper  speaks  of 
some  new  exhibition  in  some  part  or  other!    European  dem 
agogues  labor  with  all  their  might  to  establish  on  the  Ame^- 
lean  soil  their  maxims  of  intolerance  and  persecution.     Of 
all  tyrants,  they  are  the  most  terrible  and  fearful 

12 


:ii 


134 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


V'.':} 


Mi 

HI 


Mil 


Letter  X. 

To  THE  Editor  op  the  Precis  Historiquks,  Brussels. 
Eeligious  Opinions  of  the  Assiniboins, 

ClKODfNATI,   COLLBGB  OF  St.  XaVIEB,  Julj  28,  1854. 

Rev.  and  Dear  Father  : 

In  my  last  letter,  dated  the  16tli  of  this  month,  when 
sending  you  the  translation  of  the  address  of  the  Bear,  the 
great  Assiniboin  chief,  I  promised  you  a  sketch  of  the  reli- 
gious and  superstitious  opinions  of  that  nation.  I  will  now 
fulfil  my  promise. 

I  here  propose  acquainting  you  with  the  religious  worship 
and  moral  code  of  the  Assiniboins  :  it  may  be  considered  as 
the  type  of  the  superstitious  creed  of  the  greater  portion  of 
the  barbarous  tribes  which  roam  over  the  forests  and  prairies 
of  the  Upper  Missouri. 

Shrouded  in  idolatrous  darkness,  these  people  have  no 
clear  idea  of  their  origin  or  end.  Upon  the  momentous 
questions,  "Whence  came  I?"  and  "What  is  my  future  des- 
tiny ?"  there  are  various  conjectures,  even  among  those  na- 
tions who  have  received  even  a  feeble  light  concerning  the 
eternal  verities  of  the  Gospel.  All  the  Indians  admit  the 
existence  of  the  Great  Spirit,  viz.,  of  a  Supreme  Being  who 
governs  all  the  important  aflfairs  of  life,  and  who  manifests 
his  action  in  the  most  ordinary  events.  They  have  no  cor- 
rect notion  of  the  immutability  of  God.  They  think  they 
can  obtain  his  favors  in  the  accomplishment  of  their  projects, 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


135 


whatever  be  their  nature,  by  presents,  corporeal  maceration?, 
penances,  fasts,  &c.  Thus  every  spring,  at  the  first  peal  of 
thunder,  which  they  call  the  voice  of  the  Great  Spirit,  speak- 
ingfro7n  the  clouds,  the  Assiniboins  ofTer  it  sacrifices  ;—8omo 
burn  tobacco,  and  present  to  the  Great  Spirit  the  most  ex- 
quisite pieces  of  buflfalo-meat,  by  casting  them  into  the  fire ; 
while  others  make  deep  incisions  in  the  fleshy  parts  of  their 
bodies,  and  even  cut  off  the  first  joints  of  their  fingers,  to 
offer  them  in  sacrifice.  Thunder,  next  to  the  sun,  is  their 
Great  Wah-kon.*  They  hear  it,  and  after  a  storm  they 
sometimes  perceive  the  effects  of  the  lightning  on  the  trees, 
on  their  horses,  and  on  man  ;  hence  it  is  an  object  of  dread, 
and  they  endeavor  to  appease  it. 

It  is  rare  that,  during  the  course  of  a  year,  a  family  is  not 
visited  by  some  calamity ;— disease;  death,  either  natural  or  at 
the  hands  of  their  foes ;  the  loss  of  their  horses,  their  richest 
treasure,  by  robbery ;  in  fine,  the  scarcity  of  game,  which 
condemns  them  to  rigorous  fasts,  and  sometimes  even  to 
famine.  At  the  least  misfortune  the  father  of  a  family  pre- 
sents the  calumet  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and,  in  prayer,  im- 
plores him  to  take  pity  on  him,  his  wives,  and  children.  He 
promises  to  give  him  a  part  of  all  he  possesses,  at  the  first 
peal  of  thunder  in  the  spring.  When  it  is  practicable,  the 
various  camps  collect,  as  soon  as  winter  is  over,  to  offer  their 
gifts  and  sacrifices  in  union.  This  is  the  religious  ceremony 
par  excellence.  The  Assiniboins  attach  the  highest  impor- 
tance to  it.  They  often  speak  of  it  in  the  course  of  the  year, 
and  look  forward  to  its  immediate  arrival  with  joy,  respect, 
and  veneration.  Sometimes  three  or  four  hundred  lodges  of 
famihes  assemble  in  one  locality.  One  sole  individual  is 
named  the  high-priest,  and  directs  all  the  ceremonies  of  the 


*  Incomprehensible.   See  note,  p.  120. 


186 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


festival.  A  specios  of  hall  is  constructed,  with  about  thirty 
lodges,  of  skins  of  the  buffalo.  Each  lodge  is  composed  of 
twenty  or  twenty-four  skins,  stretched  over  a  number  of 
posts,  seven  or  eight  feet  high.  On  the  top  of  these  posts 
several  hundred  perches  are  fastened,  and  on  these  each 
family  hangs  the  articles  that  it  intends  to  offer  in  sacrifice. 
These  consist  of  skins  of  animals,  richly  embroidered  with 
porcelain  or  glass  beads,  adorned  with  feathers  of  every  hue ; 
many-colored  collars,  clothes,  and  ornaments  of  all  kinds, 
making  a  rich  and  varied  "great  Indian  exhibition."  Oppo- 
site to  this  hall  they  raise  a  high  pole,  to  which  all  the  chiefs 
and  braves  hang  their  medicine-bags,  containing  the  idols, 
their  arrows,  quivers,  trophies  won  from  their  enemies, 
especially  scalps.  This  pole  is  a  tree,  stripped  of  its  bark, 
and  thirty  or  forty  feet  high.  Men,  women,  and  children,  in 
a  spirit  of  religion,  join  in  raising  and  planting  it,  amid  the 
acclamations  of  the  tribe. 

After  these  preliminaries,  the  ceremony  begins  with  a 
harangue  and  a  prayer  to  the  Great  Spirit  by  the  high- 
priest.  Ho  implores  him  to  accept  their  gifts,  to  take  pity 
on. them,  protect  them  against  sickness,  accidents,  and  mis- 
fortunes of  all  kinds,  and  to  give  them  a,  plenteous  hunt, 
plenty  of  bison,  stag,  deer,  bighorns,  wild-goat,  &c.,  and  to 
aid  them  in  their  wars  and  excursions  against  their  enemies. 
Then  he  offers  the  calumet  to  the  Great  Spirit,  to  the  sun, 
to  each  of  the  four  cardinal  points,  to  the  water,  and  the 
land,  with  words  analogous  to  the  benefits  which  they  obtain 
from  each.  The  sacred  calumet  is  then  passed  to  all  the 
chiefs  and  warriors,  who  draw  two  or  three  whiffs  of  smoke, 
which  he  puffs  out  towards  heaven,  at  the  same  time  eleva- 
ting the  pipe.  The  day  finishes  with  the  great  "medicine 
dance,"  and  a  variety  of  dances  in  honor  of  the  animals 
which  I  have  named.    In  these  last  they  try  to  imitate,  as 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


137 


much  as  possible,  the  cries  and  movomcnts  of  those  animals. 
Men  alone  perform  this  dance. 

The  second  day  is  devoted  to  representations ;  that  is,  the 
jn<^g]ers,  or  medicine-nien,'perform  their  tricks.  Some  of 
these  men  succeed  in  imposing  on  those  simple  and  credu- 
lous souls,  who  discover  tiie  supernatural  in  every  thing  that 
they  do  not  understand  :  this  is  great  or  little  Wah-kon,  as  it 
is  more  or  less  incomprehensible.  Most  of  these  representa- 
tions arc  mere  feats  of  legerdemain,  which  would  scarcely 
excite  a  smile  of  mirth  or  the  least  astonishment  in  a  cir- 
cle of  civilized  persons.  During  their  execution  the  men 
and  women  accompany  the  juggle's  in  a  kind  of  chant, 
which  consists  of  words  analogous  to  the  feast,  but  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  define  what  they  say,  amid  their  modulations  of  tone. 

The  third  day  is  consumed  in  dances  and  banquets,  in 
which  all  can  participate.  It  is  highly  amusing  to  witness 
this  spectacle.  Among  the  meats,  dogs  are  particularly 
numerous — little  and  big,  roasted  and  boiled,  whole  or  en 
appalas ;  these  form  the  principal  viands  of  the  great  re- 
ligious banquet.  Dishes  of  other  meats,  with  roots,  corn, 
wheat,  sugar,  &c.,  are  added.  All  the  pots  and  kettles  of 
the  whole  tribe,  of  every  form  and  dimension,  are  placed 
over  a  long  row  of  fires.  The  braves  distribute  these  meats 
with  admirable  order,  giving  to  each  one  his  share.  These 
portions  disappear  with  truly  wonderful  celerity. 

The  Assiniboins  have  two  kinds  of  dances  for  this  feast. 
Most  of  them  dance  some  rounds  for  amusement,  and  leave 
the  circle  when  they  choose ;  but  a  band  of  young  men  form 
the  great  religious  dance,  and  make  a  vow  to  the  thunder,  or 
voice  of  the  Great  Spirit.  Then  they  perform  various 
dances,  which  last  three  whole  days  and  nights,  with  only 
slight  intervals,  without  their  taking  the  least  nourishment 
or  refreshment.      I  have  this  from  a  credible  eye-witness. 

12« 


138 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


This  extraordinary  act  is  penitential,  or  rather,  propitiatory, 
to  obtain  from  the  Great  Spirit  success  in  war.  The  camp, 
on  this  occasion,  assumes  a  new  life.  Ail  the  garments  and 
articles  prepared  during  the  winter,  from  the  embroidered 
leggin  and  moccasin  to  the  eagle-plumed  headpiece,  adorn 
their  bodies  for  the  first  time,  and  the  whole  assembly  ap- 
pears quite  brilliant ;  the  camp  acquires  a  new  life.  Those 
who  arc  not  at  the  moment  occupied  in  the  religious  obser- 
vances, spend  their  time  in  games  and  often  very  spirited 
conversation.  The  feast  lasts  about  ten  days.  Before  sep- 
arating, each  person  tears  or  c  ts  the  article  which  he  sacri- 
ficed, so  that  no  one  can  be  tempted  to  take  possession  of  it. 
Tfiis  last  act  performed,  the  different  companies  separate  to 
their  own  hunting-grounds. 

They  have  some  other  religious  practices  and  ceremonies, 
which  I  observed  on  my  visit,  and  which  are  curious  enough 
to  be  noticed  here. 

The  sun  is  honored  and  worshipped  by  the  greater  num- 
ber of  the  Indian  tribes  as  the  author  of  light  and  heat 
The  Assiniboins  consider  it  likewise  to  be  the  favorite  resi- 
dence of  the  Master  of  Life,  they  evidence  a  great  respect 
and  veneration  for  the  sun,  but  rarely  address  it.  On  great 
occasions  they  offer  it  their  prayers  and  supplications,  but 
only  in  a  low  tone.  Whenever  they  light  the  calumet,  they 
offer  the  sun  the  first  whiffs  of  its  smoke. 

The  Indians  regard  a  solar  eclipse  as  the  forerunner  of 
«ome  great  disaster;  and  if  a  juggler  can  ascertain  from  a 
white  man  the  period  of  the  arrival  of  an  eclipse,  he  is  sure 
to  make  use  of  it  to  display  his  Wah-kon,  or  supernatural 
knowledge.  At  the  moment  of  4>e  eclipse  the  Indians  rush 
out  of  their  lodges,  armed  in  full.  They  fire  their  guns, 
discharge  their  aiTows  in  the  air,  and  shout  and  howl,  in 
order  to  frighten  and  o-^t  to  flight  the  enemy  of  the  Master 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


139 


of  Life. 


Their  pretended  success  is  follojj^d  by  great  re- 
joicings. 

The  bear  is  the  terror  of  all  American  Indians,  for  he 
causes  the  most  serious  accidents,  and  is  excessively  danger- 
ous, if  he  be  encountered  in  a  thick  forest.  Every  year  some 
savage  is  killed  or  crippled  in  a  fight  with  a  bear.  They  ad- 
dress it  prayers  and  invocations ;  they  oflFer  it  sacrifices  of 
tobacco,  belts,  and  other  esteemed  objects ;  they  celebrate 
feasts  in  its  honor,  to  obtain  its  favors  and  live  without  acci- 
dent. The  bear's  head  is  often  preserved  in  the  cprr.p  during 
several  days,  mounted  in  some  suitable  position,  and  adorned 
with  scraps  of  scarlet  cloth,  and  trimmed  with  a  variety  of 
necklaces,  collars,  and  colored  feathers.  Then  they  offer  it 
the  calumet,  and  ask  that  they  may  be  able  to  kill  all  the 
bears  they  meet,  without  accident  to  themselves,  in  order  to 
anoint  themselves  with  his  fine  grease  and  make  a  banquet 
of  his  tender  flesh. 

The  wolf  is  also  more  or  less  honored  among  the  Indians. 
Most  of  the  women"  refuse  to  dress  its  skin,  at  any  price. 
The  only  reason  that  I  could  discover  for  this  freak  is,  that 
the  wolves  sometimes  get'mad,  bite  those  they  meet,  and 
give  them  the  hydrophobia.  It  is,  doubtless,  to  escape  this 
terrible  disease,  and  to  avoid  the  destruction  of  their  game, 
that  the  Indians  make  it  presents  and  offer  it  supplications 
and  prayers.  In  other  cases  he  is  little  feared.  He  seldom 
injures  men,  but  is  formidable  to  the  animals,  and  makes 
great  ravages  among  them,  especially  among  bifon  calves, 
kids,  deer,  antelopes,  hares,  &c. 

The  "  little  medicine-wolf"  is  in  great  veneration  among  ■ 
the  Assiniboins.    He  ordinarily  approaches  the  camp  during 
the  night.    As  soon  as  an  Indian  hears  his  barks,  he  counts 
the  number  with  care ;   he  remarks  whether  his  voice  is 
feeble  or  strong,  and  from  what  point  of  the  compass  it 


140 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


f4|. 


coTTiPS.  Thfiflo  observations  then  become  the  subject  of  dis- 
cussion to  the  jugglers.  What  arc  tlic  prognostics  t  Why, 
the  "little  nietlicine-wolf"  announces  to  them  that  on  tho 
morrow  they  may  expect  a  visit  from  a  friend  or  from  an 
enemy,  or  perhaps  a  herd  of  butlalo.  Tho  Indians  .fre- 
quently regulate  their  movements  or  marches  by  these  indi- 
cations ;  and  if,  as  occasionally  happens,  they  result  accord- 
ing to  the  explanation  of  the  barks,  the  little  wolf  ia  favored 
with  the  ceremony  of  a  grand  feast  I 

Tho  belief  in  ghosts  is  very  profound,  and  common  in  all 
these  tribes.  Indians  have  often  told  me,  seriously,  that 
they  had  met,  seen,  and  conversed  with  them,  and  that  they 
may  bo  heard  almost  every  night  in  the  places  where  tho 
dead  arc  interred.  They  say  they  speak  in  a  kind  of  whis- 
tling tone.  Sometimes  they  contract  the  face  like  a  person 
in  an  epileptic  fit.  Nothing  but  the  hope  of  gain  could  ever 
induce  an  Indian  to  go  alone  in  a  burying-groimd  at  night. 
In  such  a  case,  love  of  gain  might  triumph  over  the  fear  of 
ghosts ;  but  an  Indian  woman  would  never  be  induced,  on 
any  condition,  to  enter  one. 

The  Assiniboins  esteem  greatly  a  religious  custom  of  as- 
sembling once  or  twice  in  the  year  around  the  tombs  of  their 
immediate  relatives.  These  sepulchres  are  raised  on  a  .-^pecies 
of  scaffold,  about  seven  or  eight  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 
soil.  The  Indians  call  the  dead  by  their  names,  and  oflFer 
them  meats  carefully  dressed,  which  they  place  beside  them. 
They  take  care,  however,  to  consume  the  best  pieces  them- 
selves,— after  the  custom  of  the  priests  of  the  idols  of  old, 
who  offered  their  false  gods  the  heart,  blood,  entrails,  and 
indigestible  parts,  reserving  to  themselves  the  most  delicate 
portions  of  the  victim.  The  ceremony  of  burying  the  dead, 
among  the  Indians,  is  terminated  by  the  tears,  wailings, 
bowlings,  and  macerations  of  all  present.    They  tear  the 


AND   MIBSION ARIES. 


141 


hair,  gash  their  loga,  and  at  last  tlio  calumet  is  lighted,  for 
this  i»  the  Al}thii  and  Omega  of  every  rite.  They  oft'er  it  to 
the  shades  of  the  departed,  and  entreat  them  not  to  injure 
the  living.  During  their  ceremonious  repasts,  in  their  ex- 
cursions, and  even  at  a  great  distance  from  their  tombs,  they 
Bend  to  the  dead  pufl's  of  tobacco-smoke  and  burn  littlo 
pieces  of  meat  as  a  sacrifice  in  their  memory. 

The  religious  worship  of  the  Assiniboins  embraces  a  great 
variety  of  practices  too  lengthy  to  recount — they  all  bear 
the  same  characteristics.  I  will  add,  however,  one  remark- 
able point.  Each  savage  who  considers  himself  a  chief  or 
■warrior,  possesses  what  ho  calls  his  Wah-kon,  in  which  ho 
appears  to  place  all  his  confidence.  This  consists  of  a  stuffed 
bird,  a  weasel's  skin,  or  some  little  bono  or  the  tooth  of  an 
animal ;  sometimes  it  is  a  little  stone,  or  a  fantastical  figure, 
represented  by  little  beads  or  by  a  coarsely  painted  picture. 
These  charms  or  talismans  accompany  them  on  all  their  ex- 
peditions, for  war  or  hunting — they  never  lay  it  aside.  In 
every  difficulty  or  peril  they  invoke  the  protection  and  as- 
sistance of  their  Wah-kon,  as  though  these  idols  could  really 
preserve  them  from  all  misfortunes.  If  any  accident  befalls 
an  idol  or  charm,  if  it  is  broken  or  lost,  it  is  enough  to  arrest 
the  most  intrepid  chief  or  warrior  in  his  expedition,  and 
make  him  abandon  the  most  important  enterprise  in  which 
he  may  be  engaged.  It  is  true  that  they  have  a  conviction 
that  all  assistance  should  come  from  the  Great  Spirit ;  but 
as  they  can  neither  see  nor  touch  him,  they  invoke  him 
through  their  favorite  tutelary  idols.  If  it  happen  (though 
the  case  is  very  rare)  that  an  individual  should  profess  not 
to  believe  in  any  kind  of  Wah-kon,  he  is  regarded  among 
the  Indians  very  much  as  an  infidel  or  an  atheist  would  be 
in  a  Catholic  country.  They  point  at  him  and  avoid  him. 
In  regard  to  the  future  state,  they  believe  that  the  souls  of 


ifi 


142 


WESTERN  MTSfllONS 


■  I    .' 


U.0  dead  mi^ftto  townr.ls  tho  South,  whore  the  ch'mate  « 

in.  d,  tho  garno  uh.M.dant,  and  tho  rivon,  woll  stocked  with 

n^u     lhc.rh.dl  i8  tho  roverN)  of  thin  picture ;  iti,  unfortunate 

n.matc8  dwoli  .n  porpotual  huow  and  ice,  und  in  the  comrdote 

dopnvauon  of  nil  thing.     There  are,  however,  many  among 

hem  who  th.nk  death  is  the  cessation  of  life  and  action,  and 

that  there   .s   naught  beyond   it.     As  they  feel  uncertain 

v.h,ch  .B  true,  they  «eem  to  attach  no  great  importance  to 

either.     They  seldom  speak  of  it;  tliey  manifest  their  views 

to  tho«e  wlutes  who  in.juire  of  them,  and  in  whom  they  feel 

conhdonce.  ^ 

The  moral  principles  of  the  Assiniboins  are  few  in  num- 
ber.    Ihe.r  opinions  concerning  good  and  evil  have  little 
precision      Iho  social  position  is  respected  among  them  to  a 
cortam  degree.     Fear,  on  aln,ost  every  occasion,  governs  and 
determmes  the  conduct  of  the  Indian.     If  he  has  any  ground 
to  suspect  that  another  intends  to  take  his  life,  he  seizes  the 
earliest  opportunity  of  killing  that  person,  provided  he  can 
do  so  without  endangering  his  own  life.     This  case  is  not 
looked  upon  as  murder,  but  as  a  justifiable  self-defence     The 
crime  of  murder,  properly  so  called,  is  not  known  among 
them.    They  never  kill,  except  in  quarrels,  to  avenge  or  to 
defend  themselves,  and  custom  with  them  justifies  the  act.  , 
To  behave  otherwise,  according   to   their  received  views, 
would  be  regarded  as  an  act  of  folly. 

Theft,  among  the  Assiniboins,  is  only  considered  disgrace- 
ful when  It  is  discovered;  then  shame  and  infamy  are  at-  V 
tached  rather  to  the  awkwardness  of  the  thief,  for  having 
taken  his  measures  so  ill.  The  old  women  are  acknowledged 
the  most  adroit  thieves  in  the  country;  nevertheless,  it  is 
only  just  to  add  that  the  men  seldom  omit  stealing  any  ob- 
ject, it  it  can  prove  useful  to  them. 

Adultery  is  punished  with  death  in  almost  every  case. 


AlfD  KMIOBAimB. 


148 


The  «<luc»r  wldom  o«;«po,,  if  tl,o  l„„ba„,l  ,„,I  hi.  «,„«, 
h««  t.,e  ,,ower  «,„1  tl„  c„„™g,  u,c,cc„te  thi,  l.„.  Z™ 
.crm,e„  rather  uncomn,,..,.    The  woman  i.  .„„, 

ber  head  ,o  b«  cicely  .l,ave.l,  ,„d  her  per,o„  p„i,„ed  ov« 

wuh  .heavy  coat  „f  v„rmiii„„  ,„i,„d  ^.h  Z'.lJZ 

he  ..then  mounted  on  a  ho«e,  the  ,„„„„  „„,,  ,„i,  „f^,","; 

n..l,on;  an  old  man  eonduet.  her  ali  «,„„„d  ,he  camn  Zl 
proc  a„„.  aioud  her  infidelity ;  at  l».t  he  eornmit.  ITL  t hi 
hand,  of  her  own  relative.,  who  receive  the  culprit  with  ' 

Eil  I   r^  ""''' ""'  ^""^'y- ">«  A..i„iboin,  differ 

from  the  I„d,„n,  near  the  Roeky  Mountain.,  especially  1 1  o 

It  may  be  observed  that  the  Assiniboins  have  been  in  ek 
t.on.  w.th  the  white,  during  a  succession  of  yea™ 

teriogates.    These  various  articles  are  placed  before  him 
and  he  says,  "In  case  my  declaration  prove  false  Zv  2' 
gun  are  and  kill  me,  may  the  serpent  bi'te  me,  mr;  Z'heZ 

^^h  :  serT""^"'-''"'''  ""^  -^  ^a'.->=on  overwhelm  m^ 
his  lif!  ,  L     t  "''=""'"»'"=»  i°  "Wch  perjury  could  save 

which  dland  f      T"°'^-""'y  "'"'  '^-^  ■■"Port'O't  afl-L, 

towterrettTr'"^*''^^"''"  "P"-  '^^  "-"-de; 
wtness  their  resoluUon  of  accomplishine  the  artiek.  nro- 


144 


WESTERN   MIS8I0HS 


pOMd  and  a«cepto<l.  Tlio  whole  vocabulary  of  tlie  AmuiI- 
boin  Hiitl  Sioux  lariguaj^  cutUnins  but  ono  ninglo  word  which 
can  bo  coimidorcd  iiiHuhing  or  m  blnnphomous.  Thi«  word 
exproMca  the  wish  llmt  the  pornon  or  thing  in  qiiOHtion  inuy 
booonio  ugly,  an  wc  would  my  in  Frt-nch  "  U  Monstre,"  or 
in  Flemish  "«y  leolyko  b««»t."  Tho  name  of  tho  Great 
Spirit  is  never  pronounced  in  vain,  but  always  with  highest 
marks  of  venoration.  In  this  rospetit  tho  language  of  tho 
poor  Indian  is  more  noble  than  the  more  polished  tongues  of 
many  civilized  nations,  where  there  is  ever  on  tho  swearer's 
lips  curses  and  blasphemies,  and  whoro  men  mingle  in  all 
their  conversation  the  name  of  tho  Almighty  I  Such  an 
individual  would  not  only  excite  horror  in  tho  Indian,  but 
would  even  excite  his  terror. 

Tho  Sioux,  or  Dacotahs,  of  whom  tho  Assiniboins  are  a 
branch,  protend  that  thiinder  is  an  enormous  bird,  and  that 
tho  muffled  sound  of  the  distant  thunder  is  caused  by  a 
countless  number  of  young  birds  I     The  great  bird,  they 
say,  gives  tho  first  scund,  and  the  young  ones  repeat  it :  this 
is  the  cause  of  tho  reverberations.     Tho  Sioux  declare  that 
the  young  thunderers  do  all  the  mischief,  like  giddy  youth, 
who  will  not  listen  to  good  advice;  but  tho  old  thuuderer,or 
big  bird,  is  wise  and  excellent,  ho  never  kills  or  injures  any  one  I 
Tho  Assiniboins  dread  vampires  and  bats.     Should  these 
fly  near  a  man,  it  is  an  omen  of  evil.    The  Will-with-a-wisp 
is  also  a  great  terror  to  them,     Tho  man  who  sees  one  dur- 
ing the  night,  is  certain  that  death  is  about  to  carry  away 
some  cherished  member  of  his  family. 

They  believo  in  dreams.  According  to  them,  good  dreams 
come  from  a  spirit  that  loves  them,  and  desires  to  give  them 
good  advice;  bad  dreams,  in  particular  tho  night-mare, 
render  them  sad  and  melancholy,  and  lead  them  to  dread  the 
arrival  of  painful  events. 


i^D  MlflfHONABIEB. 


145 


Vot  •  Any  p«i,,o.  In  «n  In.liHn  family  without  »o,ne  ono 

I  liavo  tl,o  honor  to  U.,  rory  dcnr  Father, 

Your  duvolod  Sorv't  ami  Bro.  In  ChrUl,  i 

I*.  J.  D«  Shit,  8.  J.    • 

In<l.««  hunl,  ,.,,,1  „p,.„,„||j,  „,.  ,  |,i,„„.i,„„t  ,„„j„  ,,_ 

1.0  A„„„l«„„  i„  „  kiml  of  i„clo,„ro  or  p»rk.     If  "X 

/    i^'u  snows  It.     llio  hoftt  18  BO  oxcossive  that 
.ovoral  ,,„„,„,  ,„„,„  f„|,„„  j„„j  ._,  ji^^  ^^^^^^_     '-^'vo  that 

.hipwr'7o°,,  t!'"7r  T':'  "'^  '''"""'^'  '"y  '«"-  0"  «« 

ilr:;i:ttr"'"'"'  "*'•  '""^  '"^•"'-'«'«''  ->'p'  or 

11 


146 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


Letter  11. 

To  XHK  Editor  o.  the  Pk^cis  Historiques,  Brussels. 

Indian  Hunts: 

CmomNATi,  CoLLEOK  OK  St.  Xavikr,  AnguBt  8, 1854. 
Key.  and  very  Dear  Father  : 

According  to  promise,  I  proceed  to  offer  you  the  de. 
scnption  of  a  hunt.  If  I  succeed  in  making  my  nanlon 
inte  hg,ble,  I  shall  be  satisfied,  and  shall  not  regret  de  2" 
my  time  to  the  writing  of  it.  "'      aevotmg 

iti.!°  ^'  ^  ^^;'''  ^";*''  '^^  "  ^"°^  ^^••"^'  «re  the  two  qua!- 

The  chase  absorbs  the  whole  attention  of  the  sLge  The 
knowledge  that  he  has  acquired,  by  long  experi.ncf  of  the 
ratnre  and  instinct  of  animal,,  is  truly  marvellonr'  B. 
occupied  with  it  from  his  tende;  infancy'  t^Z  a!hild 
'".  '^JPf  ^  «f  "'.''»''g!»g  » little  bow,  it  fs  the  fl,.t  inrume^ 
h.s  father  puts  into  his  hands,  to  teach  him  how  trhuuT  ft- 

m  all  the,r  stratagems.    They  are  taught  with  as  much  c^re 
how  to  approach  and  till  the  animals,  as  in  civilized  sooeTv 

Ant:  TtT'."'  "''<"-^'  """"«■  "■>«  -thmer  '^ 

An  expert  Ind.an  hunter  is  acqnainted  minutely  with  the 

hab,t^  and  mstmcts  of  all  the  quadrupeds  which  form    h! 

object  of  the  chase.    He  knows  their  Lorite  haunt     I  i^ 

-»t.al  for  him  to  distinguish  what  kind  of  food  an  animd 


AND  MISSIONARIES.  j^/y 

'vitl.  all  th.  n,°ca.,ti2  ,K  ;    ^ ''"'"""«'•  ""■^'I'ofitmiliaP 
«"ent,-vooar,:,:        :,    :^„:-;;-'-y  '0  oI,K,o  tha 

'■™e  that  ,,a.  el.p,«,  «i„e  t  pLocT  J^  Tf  '""'■  *''° 
forests,  aud  the  water  ^,7leZ  T"*'  ™''"'  »"'»''  >«. 
game.  '  ^  '°*"°8  ^"  cabm  in  pursuit  of 

The  tribes  of  tho  desert  fin,1  ,l    •        ■  . 
chase;  the  flesh  of  a„imr!ff?  ','""'  '"bsisteuee  in  the 
c'otWng,    Before  the  2^°!  on,      T'""'' ™^  "^  »'"- 
k"l.-"S  the  difleront  spee  e  „"   ,,,•'"',  "'"'^''  ""=  "^"'od  of 
Bistiog  ordinarily  of  stra,  '  ""'  """y  *'">P''^.  »on- 

^course  to  the  nrtail  l^^'  T    T'"'     ^''^^  »'™  la™ 
-;.  when  the/hr:     ots'elt  !r'  "^  '"«^  ^^ 
a-id  powder  and  ball  for  tini„r,i  *     '  "'  P"''™™g  'hem, 
Tie  trap  prepared    or  thfbt"  •''''  ''.'"'"°»"- 

and  is  one  of  the'more  trl^CTn^rr^'^r"  "'  ^''' 
markahle  in  its  execution  •  iT  I  /"P' "">"<»' --e- 

iigh  idea  of  the  nZZZ'.rT'"''  '^'"'  ""'^  Sives  a 
<"«»•  As  ou  al,  X  tl^'f  <•  boldness  of  Ihe  In. 
-e  consulted,  and  the  hnn  7oL  ,  ^^  *e  j„gg,e„ 
superstitious  praot.ces  T  J./"'"""'^'^  ''Y  »  great  variety  of 
tl'c  base  of  the  tZ  JWai  T  °'  '''"^^  ''"'^  «' 
•■-ortogiveyouaf^;^;:™;'  """  "^ '"^  ^  ''^  - 

a«a  o?-7:e:r;:'*r''^-^'  °'  --^■-"^^^o. 

have  seen  with  my  own  1  '  """^  <>' "y  travek  I 
these  immense  plains  IhomY  i'  ^  ,  "^  ^  '*"'<'  *'«cern  on 
We  animals  mo'vi^rslor  .?""''"' '^''^" '■°- 
->-  <i-ction,  and%rows4  the™ rr'^':'^ '■-?•■•■" 

o  o"^-'  «o  tiiu)'  progress. 


148 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


I' 


h 


They  have  a  foai  fvil  appearance ;  their  hairy  heads  inspire 
with  terror  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  pacific  habits  of 
this  noble  quadruped.  Indeed,  such  is  tlieir  timidity  that 
one  noan  can  put  to  flight  the  most  uutnerous  herd.  Wlien 
alarmed,  the  tramp  of  their  hoofs,  their  bellowings,  and  the 
columns  of  dust  which  they  raise,  resemble  the  deep  mur- 
murs of  a  tempest  mingled  with  peals  of  thunder,  lessening 
as  they  grow  more  remote.  The  flesh  of  the  bison  is  much 
esteemed  and  very  nourishing ;  it  is  deemed  the  daily  bread 
of  all  the  Indian  tribes  on  the  great  plains. 

A  tribe  that  has  few  guns,  few  horses  to  run  down  the 
animals,  which  needs  provisions,  and  skins  for  clothing  (and 
such  was  the  condition  of  our  Assiniboins),  must  employ  the 
old  or  primitive  method  of  huntings  which  has  ejjisted  from 
time  immemorial. 

The  Indians  whom  I  saw  engaged  in  it  were  encamped  on 
a  suitable  place  for  the  construction  of  a  park  or  inclosure. 
The  camp  of  which  I  speak  contained  about  three  hundred 
lodges,  which  represents  2000  or  3000  souls.  They  had  se- 
lected the  base  of  a  chain  of  hills,  whose  gentle  slope  pre- 
sented a  narrow  valley  and  a  prairie,  in  which  all  the  lodges 
were  ranged.    Opposite  the  hills  there  was  a  fine  large  prairie. 

After  the  construction  of  the  lodges,  a  great  council  is 
held,  at  which  all  the  chiefs  and  all  the  hunters  assist.  They 
first  choose  a  band  of  warriors  to  hinder  the  hunters  from 
leaving  the  camp,  either  alone  or  in  detached  companies, 
lest  the  bisons  be  disturbed,  and  thus  be  driven  away  from 
the  encampment.  The  law  against  this  is  extremely  severe  ; 
not  only  all  the  Indians  of  the  camp  must  conform  to  it, 
bi-  -  it  reaches  to  all  travellers,  even  when  they  are  ignorant 
of  the  encampment  or  do  not  know  that  there  is  a  hunt  in 
eciitemplation.  Should  they  frighten  the  animals,  they  are 
»l/*5  punisha^  li",  however,  those  of  the  camp  are  more  rig- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


149 


o  ously  chastised  m  case  tliey  transgress  the  regulation. 
Thcr  guns,  their  bows  and  arrows,  are  broken,  their  lodges 
cu  in  pieces,  their  dogs  killed,  all  their  provisions  and  their 
hu  es  are  taken  from  them.  If  they  are  bold  enough  to  re- 
sist he  penalty,  they  are  beaten  with  bows,  sticks,  and  clubs, 
and  tins  torment  frequently  terminates  in  the  death  of  the 
"Ml|appy  aggressor.  Any  one  who  should  set  fire  to  tho 
pnune  by  accident  or  imprudence,  or  in  any  way  frighten 
oft  tho  herd,  would  be  sure  to  be  well  beaten. 

As  soon  as  the  law  is  promulgated,  the  construction  of  tho 
pen  IS  com.menccd  *     Everybody  labors  at  it  with  cheerful 
ardor  for  It  IS  an  aftair  of  common  interest,  on  which  the 
subsistence  of  the  entire  tribe  during  several  months  will 
depend.     The  pen  has  an  area  of  about  an  acre.    To  inclose 
It  ma  circular  form,  stakes  are  firmly  fixed  in  the  grbund, 
and  the  distance  between  them  filled  with  logs,  dry  boughs 
masses  of  stone-in  short,  with  whatever  they  can  find  That 
.viU  answer  the  purpose.     The  circular  palisade  has  but  one 
opening ;  before  this  opening  is  a  slope  embracing  fifteen  or 
twenty  feet  between  the  hills:    this  inclined  piano  grows 


130 


V     II 


I  i 

II  I 


160 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


wider  as  it  diverges  from  tho  circle ;  at  its  two  sides  they 
continue  tiie  fence  to  a  long  distance  on  the  plain. 

As  soon  as  these  prcparntions  are  completed,  tho  Indians 
elect  a  gi-and-raastcr  of  ceremonies  and  of  the  pen.    He  is  gen- 
erally an  old  man,  a  distinguished  personage^  belonging  to 
Wah-kon,  or  medicine-band,  and  famous  in  tho  art  of  jug- 
glery, which  the  Indians,  as  I  have  remarked,  deem  a  supe^r- 
natural  science.     His  office  it  is  to  decide  the  moment  for 
driving  the  bisons  into  the  inclosure,  and  give  the  signal  for 
the  commencement  of  the  hunt.     He  plants  tho  medicine- 
mast  in  the  centre  of  the  paik,  and  attaches  to  it  the  three 
charms  which  are  to  allure  the  animals  in  that  direction,  viz., 
a  streamer  of  scarlet  cloth  two  or  three  yards  long,  a  piece 
of  tobacco,  and  a  bison's  horn.     Every  morning  at  the  early 
dawn  he  beats  his  drum,  intones  his  hymns 'of  conjuration, 
consults  his  own  Wah-kon,  and  the  manitous  or  guiding- 
Bpirits  of  the  bisons,  in  order  to  discover  the  favorable  mo- 
ment for  the  chase. 

The  grand-master  lias  four  runners  at  his  disposal,  who  go 
out  daily  and  report  to  him  the  true  result  of  their  observa- 
tions; they  tell  at  what  distance  from  the  camp  the  animals 
are,  their  probable  number,  and  in  what  direction  the  herd 
is   marching.      These  runners  frequently  go  forty  or  fifty 
miles  in  different  directions.     In  all  their  courses  they  take 
with  them  a  Wuh-kon  ball,  which  is  intrusted  to  them  by 
the  grand  master:  it  is  made  of  hair  and  covered  with  skin. 
When  the  runners  think  that  the  suitable  moment  has  ar- 
rived, they  immediately  dispatcJi  a  man  of  their  number  to 
the  grand-master,  with  the  ball  and   the  good  news.     So 
long  as  the  mysterious  ball  is  absent,  the  master  of  ceremo- 
nies cannot  t;,ke  food  ;  he  pi..h)iio-s  this  rigorous  iast  by  ab^ 
»taining  fVom  ovrry  meat  or  <!i^h   (hat  docs  not  come  from" 
wme  animal  killed  on  iho  a:ea  of  ;he  park,  until  the  hunt  is 


AND  MI8SIONAEIB8.  151 

poarance  of  feting  tl.an  his  brethren  of  the  camp  ^ 

^Tfrrtr^h^ 

park  beau  his  dr„,„,  to  announce  that  the  bi«on7«re  ,n  nu 
wmd  «  favorable,  and  comes  directly  from  the  point  in  which 

«  r  r    thTVo  -"f '"^'^■'"  «"«  >.<>-n,ermounttt 
course™     the  foot-soldiers,  armed  with  bows    guns    and 

ing  rows,  fro*  the  extremity  of  the  two  barriers  which 

E'anrhu^  T'^V'  '"^  "»"  ""'  -'end  i:  tt 
P  a,n  and  thus  prolong  the  lines  of  the  inclosare.    When 

the  footmen  arc  placed  at  distances  of  ten  or  fifteen  feet  th! 

horsemen  continne  the  same  lines,  which  separaMn  Jlott 

t.on  m  hey  extend,  so  that  the  last  hunter  on  horsebT L 

found  at  about  two  or  three  miles  distance  from  the^n  aJ 

a  very  nearly  the  same  distance  from  the  last  huntTof  the 

other  line,  in  an  opposite  direction.    When  men  1  wan^ 

."g,  women  and  even  children  occupy  stations  "*" 

After  the  formation  of  these  two  immense  lines  one  sin^l. 

Mian,  unarmed,  is  sent  upon  the  best  courser  in  th    camp 

-^8  H  hy  cucauiiwneDt,  this  orj  attracts  the  at- 


•I 


[i 


J. 

,'i 


iiiil 


152 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


tention  of  tho  whole  hord  ;  after  some  seconds,  several  thou- 
sands of  these  quadrupeds,  hearing  this  pitiful  plaint,  turn 
towards  the  protended  ealf.  At  first  they  move  slowly,  then 
advance  into  a  trot,  and  at  last  they  push  forward  in  full 
gallop.  Tho  horseman  continually  repeats  the  cry  of  tho 
calf,  and  takes  his  course  towards  the  pen,  ever  attentive  to 
keep  at  tho  same  distance  from  the  animals  that  are  follow- 
ing him.  By  this  stratagem  he  leads  the  vast  herd  of  bisons 
through  tho  whole  distance  that  separates  him  from  his  com- 
panions, who  are  on  tho  qui  vive,  full  of  ardor  and  impa- 
tience to  share  with  him  in  his  sport. 

When  tho  bufiVvlocs  arrive  in  the  space  between  the  extrem- 
ities of  the  two  lines,  the  scene  changes;  all  assumes  an  ap- 
pearance of  eagerness.     The  Imnters  on  horseback,  giving 
rein  to  their  steeds,  rejoin  each  other  behind  the  animals. 
At  once  tho  scent  of  tho  hunters  is  communicated  among 
the  frightened  and  routed  animals,  which  attempt  to  escape 
in  every  direction.    Then  those  on  foot  appear.    The  bisons, 
finding  themselves  surrounded  and  inclosed  on  all  sides,  ex- 
cept the  single  opening  into  the  circular  pen  before  them, 
low  and  bellow  in  tho  most  frightful  manner,  and  plunge 
into  it  with  the  speed  of  fear  and  desperation.    The  lines  of 
hunters  close  in  gradually;  and  space  becomes  less  necessary 
as  the  mass  of  bisons  and  the  groups  of  hunters  become 
more  and  more  compact.    Then  the  Indians  commence  firing 
their  guns,  drawing  their  arrows,  and  flinging  their  lancest 
Many  animals  fall  under  the  blows  before  gaining  the  pen  : 
the  greater  number,  however,  enter.     They  discover,  only 
too  late,  the  snare  that  has  been  laid  for  them.     Those  in 
front  try  to  return,  but  the  terrified  crowd  that  follow  forces 
them  to  go  forward,  and  they  cast  themselves  in  confusion 
into  the  inclosure,  amid  the  huirahs  and  joyful  shouts  of  tho 
whole  tribe,  intermingled  with  the  firino-  of  o-nns 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


153 


As  soon  as  all  arc  penned,  tho  bufruloes  arc  killed  with  ar- 
rows,  lances,  and  knives.  Men,  women,  and  children,  iu  an 
excUeo.ent  of  joy,  take  part  in  the  general  butchery,  and 

•wi  honI'"r  ""Vl'^^'^S  "P  «^  ^I^«  "«in.als.  To  look  at  them 
y  hout  d,sgus  m  this  operation,  one  mnst  have  been  a 
ht tie  habituated  to  their  customs  and  manners.  While  men 
cut  and  slash  the  flesh,  the  women,  and  children  in  particu- 
lar  clevour  the  xneat  still  warm  with  life-the  livers,  kidneys, 
brains,  &c.,  seem  irresistible  attractions:  they  smear  thei^ 

confiLr''-'™:'  "^  ^'^'  "^'^  '^''  ^'-^  -'  «.e  bisons; 
confu^s  d  cries,  clamorous  shouts,  and  here  and  there  quar- 

rel  '  up  he  scene.  It  is  a  picturesque  and  savage  scene, 
a  very  pandemonium-a  sight  very  difficult  to  depict  by 
woids  or  to  recount  in  minute  details.  In  the  hunt  which  I 
liave  just  described,  and  at  which  I  was  present,  six  hundred 
bison  were  taken.  •  uuuuitu 

After  tho  butchery,  tho  skins  and  tho  flcsh  are  separated 
into  p,le,,,  and  these  piles  aro  divided  among  the  families  in 
proportton  to  tho  number  of  which  they  aro  composed.  Th„ 
neat  s  aikrwards  cut  in  slices  and  dried;  tho  bones  aro 
bmiaed  and  tho,r  grease  extracted.  Tho  dogs  also  reeoivo 
c,r  port,„n  of  tho  feast,  and  devour  tho  remains  on  ti™ 
»rena  of  the  pen.     Two  days  aiter  tl,e  hunt  not  a  vestigo  of 

llr!iT  ''7'°  •'•  """f""  '''•'■"'•'""a  "'^  Imlians  pass 
sove ml  days  ,o  dancmg  and  mirth.     Ono  of  your  Keysers  or 

VorBroeckhovens  should  assist  at  one  of  these  spirited,  pie- 
turesque  scenes  of  the  Groat  Desert;  ho  would  Ld  a  new 
subject  for  a  painting. 

The  old  proverb  says,  "One  half  of  the  world  knows  not 
how  the  other  half  Hvne "  TV.,  a  '  •  t  ,.  ^"*^^'' "ot 
on  th.  ^  American  Indians,  who  live 

on  the  spontaneous  products  of  the  soil  may  say  as  much :  the 
count  ess  herds  of  bison  that  roam  over  the  vast  plains  serve 
-  daily  bread  to  the  numerous  tribes  of  tho  Grea'  Dc^c  t 


154 


U' 


r# 


i 

■'J 


1       ^ 


WESTKUN   MISSIONS 


The  Sosliocos  arc  tho  most  degracled  of  the  races  of  this 

vast  continent.     Th«  Americans  call  them  *^  Toor  Devils  » 

nn.l  the  French  an.I  C..mH.lia.i  voyrujeurs  denominated  them 

le,s  ihynes  do  pitU.      They  roam  over  tho  desert  and  bar- 

ren  dmtncts  of  Utah  and  California,  and  that  portion  of  tho 

Kocky  M.>untains  whieh  branclies  into  Oregon.     In  my  mis- 

Bions  and  journeys  I  have  sometimes  met  with  families  of 

these  wretched  Soshocos,  who  are  really  worthy  of  pity      I 

ms  80  happy  as  to  baptize  several  of  their  sick  children  just 

before  they  died.  *' 

While  the  Indians  of  tho  plains,  who  live  on  tho  flesh  of 
nnnna  s,  become  tall,  robust,  active,  and  generally  well-clad 
With  skins,  the  Soshoco,  who  subsists  chiefly  on  grasshoppers 
and  ants,  is  miserable,  lean,  weak,  and  badly  clothed ;  ho 
inspires  sentiments  of  compassion  in  the  minds  of  those  who 
traverse  tho  unproductive  region  wlrich  he  occupies. 

Afler  having  described  to  you  tho  inclosure  hunt,  as  prac- 
ticed by  the  Assiniboins,  I  will  show  you  the  reverse  of  tho 
picture,  by  describing  the  great  grasshopper  hunt  practiced 
among  the  goshocos.     This  hunt  deserves  mention.  I  think 
especially  as  a  contrast  to  the  other.  * 

The  principal  portion  of  the  Soshoco  territory  is  covered 
with  wormwood,  and  other  species  of  artemisia,  in  which  the 
grasshoppers  swarm  by  myriads  ;  these  par^s  are  consequently 
most  frequented  by  this  tribe.     When  they  are  sufliciently 
numerous,  they  hunt  together.     They  begin  by  digging  a 
hole,  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  diameter  by  four  or  five  deep  • 
then   armed  with  long  branches  of  artemisia,  they  surround' 
a  he  d  of  four  or  five  acres,  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
number  ot    persons  who  arc  engaged  in  'it.     They  stand 
about  twenty  feet  apart,  and  their  whole  work  is  to  beat  tho 
ground,  so  as  to  frighten  up  the  grasshoppers  and  make  thera 
bound  forward.    They  chase  them  towards  the  centre  by 


AND   MISalONAIlIES. 


166 


degroc8-tl,at  ,..  into  tho  holo  prepared  for  their  reception. 
Iho.r  nu,nl,or  h  «o  consLJc-rablo  that  frequc.tly  throe  or  four 
acres  fuininh  gru^whoi.pors  Bufficictit  to  fill  the  reservoir  or 
oole. 

The  Soshocos  stay  in  that  place  as  long  as  this  sort  of  pro- 
vision lasts.  They,  as  well  ,«  other  mortals,  have  their 
tastes.  8on,e  oat  the  grasshoppers  in  soup,  or  boiled ;  others 
crush  them  an.l  make  a  kind  of  paste  from  them,  which 
they  dry  m  the  sun  or  before  the  fire:  others  eat  them  en 
appalas^ihat  is,  they  take  pointed  rods  and  string  tho  largest 
ones  on  tln-m  ;  afterwards  these  rods  are  fixed  in  the  ground 
before  the  fire,  and,  ,t«  they  become  ro^isted,  the  poor  Soshocos 
regale  themselves  until  the  whole  are  devoured. 

As  they  rove  from  place  to  place,  they  sometimes  meet 
with  a  few  rabbity  and  take  some  grouse,  but  seldom  kill 
(leer  or  other  large  animals. 

The  contrast  between  the  Indian  of  the  plain  and  the  des- 
titute Soshoco,  is  very  striking;  but  poor  as  he  is,  like  tho 
Hottentot,  he  loves  devotedly  his  native  soil. 

I  shall  soon  leave  Cincinnati  for  Louisville,  in  Kentucky, 
and  then  for  St.  Lotiis ;  from  thence,  in  order  to  comply 
v^ith  your  request,  I  shall  continue  my  Indian  memoirs. 
Among  other  things,  I  will  give  you  the  description  of  the 
peace  expedition  sent  by  the  Cows  to  the  Black-Feet.  I 
collected  the  facts  on  the  spot,  in  my  mission  of  1851 ;  for 
in  the  superstitious  and  religious  ideas  and  practices  of  the 
savages,  ,n  their  expeditions  of  war  and  hunting,  their  char- 
Hcter  and  manners  are  best  described.  I  will  give  you  these 
'unous  details  with  as  much  fidelity  as  I  can. 

Rev.  and  dear  Father, 
Your  devoted  servant  and  brother  in  Chrisf, 

P.  J.  De  Smkt,  S.  J. 


156 


WliiSTEBN   MIttBlOKS 


I     *! 


Letter  Iir. 

To   THE   EUITOU   OF   THE   rufcCIS   IIlSTORIQClfl,  BRUSSELS. 

Indian  War/are, 

Univkubity  or  St.  Louu,  AugUHt,  1884. 
Rev.  and  Dear  Father  : 

In  my  last  I  spoke  of  the  Indian  hunting  in  the  Ore*it 
Desert.  I  will  give  you,  to-<lay,  some  general  observations 
on.  their  wars,  atul  especially  what  I  couM  learn  of  an  un- 
happy/?mce  expedition,  during  my  last  visit  to  tlie  Crows. 

It  may  bo  said  that  war  is  tliQ  ne  plus  ultra  of  an  Indian's 
glory.     The  ambition  of  bocoining  a  great  warrior  absorbs 
all  his  attention,  all  Ins  talents,  all  his  bravery;  it  is  often 
the  object  of  all  his  voluntary  sufTorings.     His  prolonged 
fasts,  his  long  war-paths,  penances,  and  macerations,  andliia 
religious  observances,  Jiave  principally  this  sole  end.  To  wear 
an  eagle's  plume,  the  emblem  of  an  Indian  warrior,  is  in  his 
eyes  supreme  honor,  and  the  most  magnificent  of  ornaments  ; 
for  it  betokens  that  ho  lias  already  distinguished  himself  in 
battle.     Generally  at  the  age  of  seventeen  or  eighteen  years, 
after  the  first  fast,  and  after  having  selected  liis  wah-kon[ 
manitou,  or  tutelary  spirit,  the  youthful  savage  joins  the  war-' 
parties,  which  are  composed  solely  of  volunteers. 

A  chief,  or  a  partisan,  who  wishes  to  form  a  war-party, 
presents  himself  in  the  midst  of  the  camp,  tomahawk  in' 
hand,  avd  painted  with  vermilion,  the  symbol  of  blood.  He 
intones  his  war-song :  this  kind  of  song  is  short.    The  war- 


it 


AND  MISSION  A  UIE8. 


16T 


■n,l  tl,  ,  "  ^  "  "°"»  '"  "«' I"""'^'!  Willi  tl,o  dr..  11 

;e.r  »i/,.„  .„:::„,  r:u:  i^xx";;  j'i-»  -'- 

their  adventuiw  an,!  ,.f  ,1  1  '^  ''"  "'"•'•"'ion  of 

their  religiou      eroll  7  "''"""'  ''"^'^''  "'^^  <'»"oes, 

infl«.,.o  ambition  in  H,„  J    ,       ,  ?       '  ''"'  ""'  ='"'™  ^ 
referrod  to  lb     doa  of      i  "T'  '"'"''  "'  "  ''"*■■'"■«".  i' 

I  have  ..ow\o  ::i':'t:";,.:^»^<''»'-«ui»i.od  i,.  „,„. 

of  tbo  „or.hwo,t  po .  io     ol-N    r'A  '  f-  '""  "■■''™ 

considered  a,  tbo  ,Lt  wl  Lt    v^irrV!"  T'7  '" 
four  Lundred  anri  n,V,i.*    .    ,  ^""""t-     It  counts  about 

in  the  region  of  the  W^l  R i  '^',/^'"^:^«^^««»  principally 
and  tho  llocky  Mo  ntl       T  '""'  "'  '''^^'^  "•''«' 

•in  the  desert-  thev!'?'..      ,"'  '"''  ''  °"°  ^^'  ^^'«  »<^l>l^«t 
louescit,  tliey  are  tall,  robust,  and  wcll-formn-i  T 

neighbors,  they  a,.„  s,.rpJt  I  i„  ,11°:  '"  ""  ""='' 
.t.tious  ideas  and  co.e.nouio,  whl ,  r  "  rntl  ^h'  "  "'''"' 
ments  and  actions  Tn  ;ii.  /  .•  /^'^n  m  all  their  move- 
trait,  of  whicTL,"      '■''?'"'  ^  '''"  ^^*«  *^'«  ^-^'-wing 

In  1840  rfi\  ?''"^^^  '"^  ignorantly  the  cause 

in  1840, 1  first  met  tho  Crowa  ,v  .1,.  ..  ,.       „   .     _. 


163 


WE8TEKN   MISSIONS 


I! 


,  ITorn,  A   trilmUry  of  the  Yollowntonc.    In  my  qualify  of 
liluck-««)wn,  thoy  roccivod  mo  with  nl!  poiwihlo  domonHtrn- 
tiotm  of  rcHpoct,  and  with  n  «iric<(ro  jcty.     I  hiul  with  mo  A 
Btook  of  lucifor-nmtchcfs  which  I  imcd   from  time  to  time  to 
lijifht  my  pipe,  nnd  the  cuhanet  uuod  in  tho  (Jreat  Council. 
Tho  effect  of  these  matched  nurpriacd  them  greatly ;  thoy 
had  never  seen  any.     Thoy  convorsud  about  them  in  all  tho 
lodges,  and  called  them  tho  mysterious  fire  which  tho  Hlack- 
gown  carried.     I  was  at  onco  considered  tho  greatest  medi- 
cine-man that  had  ever  visited  their  tribe.  Thoy  consequently 
treated  mo  with  distinguished  respect,  and  listened  to  all  I 
Baid  with  the  greatest  attention.     IJoforo  my  departure,  the 
chiofa  and  principal  warriors  of  tho  council  requested  mo  to 
leave  them  a  portion  of  my  matches.     Unconscious  of  tho 
superstitious  ideas  which   they  attached  to  them,  I  readily 
distributed  them,  reserving  only  what  was  necessary  for  my 
journey.     lu    1844  I  visited   them   again.    Tho   reception 
they  gavo  me  was  most  solemn.     I  was  lodged  in  tho  largest 
and  finest  lodges  of  the  camp.     AH  the  chiefs  and  warriors 
were  habited  in  their  embroidered  moccasins,  laggius,  and 
buckskin  shirts  ornamented  with  beads  and  porcupine  quills, 
■while  eagle's  feathers  crowned  their  heads,  and  they  con- 
ducted me  in  grand  ceremony  from  lodge  to  lodge.     That  I 
might  participate  in  a  grand  banquet,  I  was  provided  with 
my  band  of  eaters,  who  would  do  honor  to  the  viands  and 
eat  for  me.     One  of  tho  great  chiefs  testified  a  special  friend-' 
ship  for  mo.     "/f  is  to  thee,  Black-gown;'  said  ho  to  mo, 
"  that  I  owe  all  my  glory  in  the  victories  I  have  gained  over 
my  enemies:'     His  language  astonished  mo  greatly,  and  I 
begged  him  to  explain.     Without  delay  he  took  from  his 
neck  his  wah-kon,  or  medicine-bag,  wrapped  in  a  bit  of  kid. 
Ho  unrolled  it,  and  displayed  to  my  wondering  view  the 
remnant  of  the  matches  I  had  ijiveu  him  in  1840 1    "I  use 


AND  MW8IONAUIE8. 


159 


Ikwn,    i/iul  1.0,  "every  timo  I  fi^o  to  battlo.    If  tho  mnU. 

rioun  (Iro  appear.  «t   tho  t\mi  ruhbin^f.    I   dart   upon    my 

tnmn.os  .uru  ot  ohtai.nr.K  victory."     I  hml  con.i<K,rHl>lo  .lifli. 

culty  m  <I.Hubu«n,ff  th.-ir  n.in.U  of  thU  lingular  superstition. 

An  you  .CO,  ,t  requires  little  to  uccp.iru  h  reputation  among 

he  In.bauH  :  w.th  a  few  lucifer-matcheM,  you  may  bea  groal 
mn  a,no„,  the  Crows,  and  receive  great  honor.:  ^ 

lie  CowH  have  been  ir.vcsted  during  several  yeaig, 
on  the  north  by  the  IMack-Feot,  on  the  east  by  tho  11^ 
bo,n«  and  Cree,,  an.l  on  tho  south  by  the  Sioux.     Each  of 

heso  .nvudmg  nations  being  n.ore  numerous  than  tho  nation 
invade<l,  the  Crows  were  necemrily  engaged  in  perpetual 
war.  sometimeH  w.th  one  an<l  sometimes  with  the  other  of 

1.0H0  tnbcH.  Ilonce  tho  last  ten  years  show  a  great  diminu- 
t.«n  m  the.r  pop.dation,  whi.h  nun.bers  at  the  present  time 
not  more  than  four  hundred  warriors 

of  the  Bhick-K.et,  S.oux,  JJonacks,  As«iniboins,  etc.;  and  it 
IB  aqtute  remarkable  fact,  that  thoy  have  never  been  tho  first 
to  violate  a  treaty  of  p..ace,  except  in  tho  following  instance, 
which  I  will  narrate  in  full.  ^  * 

In  184.3,  the  (.reat  chief  of  the  nation  was  known  by  the 
tie  of  Tez^Ooe,  word  which  sounds  bad  enough,  meaning 
Kotten  Belly.  He  was  as  much  renowned  for  his  bravery  in 
v^nr  as  for  h,s  wisdom  in  council,  and  the  patriotic  lovo  that 
he  testified  to  the  whole  nation.  Seeing  with  pain  tho  gre 
losses  hat  the  continual  incursions  of  so  riany  enemies 
caused  hn  tnbe,  he  resolved  to  conclude  a  solemn  treaty  of 
peace,  ,f  not  with  all,  at  least  with  a  great  part  of  the  Blaek- 

colil  ?  ?  n  '''''^'"  arrangements,  and  convoked  his 
councd.  to  deliberate  on  the  most  prompt  and  the  most  effi. 
«acious  means  of  success  in  liis  great  design.  All  the  war- 
nors  hastened  to  his  ai<L     AfVn..  i.„.„v^  ,i:_-...     ,  .,        , 


i 


K 


') 


. 


^i 


4l? 


i 


ICO 


WESTEBN   MISSIONS 


feront  points,  it  was  unanimously  decided  that  a  party  of 
twenty-five  braves  should  repair  to  the  Black-Feet  camp,  to 
offer  them  the  calumet  of  peace. 

The  guide  chosen  to  conduct  the  band  was  one  of  the 
nation   of  Black-Feet,  taken  prisoner  by  the  Crows   some 
years  before,  and  hitherto  retained  in  captivity.     In  order  to 
attach   him  more  securely  to  the  good  cause,  the  Crows 
granted  him  his  liberty,  with  the  title  of  brave,  and  the  per- 
mission to  wear  the  eagle's  plume.    He  was,  besides,  loaded 
with  presents,  consisting  of  horses,  arms,  and  ornaments  of 
every  kind.    Having  received  his  instructions,  he  set  out 
joyfully  and  with  signs  of  gratitude,  ^ully  resolved  to  neglect 
nothing  to  obtain  and  consolidate  .m  honorable  and  lasting 
peace  between  the  two  nations.     A  place  had  been  desig- 
nated in  which  the  two  tribes  might  meet  as  friends  and 
brothers,   to  celebrate   the  grand   event.     The  deputation, 
therefore,  set  out  for   the    Black-Feet  camp  of  four  hun- 
dred lodges,   commanded  by   the     great    chief   "Spotted 
peer,"  or  Ponukah-kitzi-Pemmy,  which  they  found  encamped 
in  the  valley   of  the  Maria  Kiver,  a   pretty  large  branch 
of  the  Missouri  River,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the   Great 
Falls. 

About  a  month  before  the  departure  of  this  expedition, 
two  Crows  had  been  killed,  near  their  own  camp,  and  their 
scalps  carried  away,  by  a  war-party  of  Black-Feet.  The  two 
brothers  of  these  unfortunate  victims  fasted,  and  took  their 
oaths  according  to  custom.  These  oaths  consisted  in  vowing 
that  they*  would  each  kill  a  Black-Foot,  the  first  good  chance. 
They  communicated  their  intentions  to  no  one.  The  bravery 
and  determination  of  these  two  men  were  well  known. 
They  wjre  elected  to  join  the  bajid  of  deputies,  and  promised 
ostensibly  to  forget  their  private  wrongs  for  the  public  wel- 
fare ;  but  in  secret  they  renewed  their  first  intentions,  fore- 


•AKD  MISSIONARIES. 


161 


««ing  that  tl,is  excursion  wcM  probably  furnish  an  occasion 
of  avenpng  the  double  murder  of  then  brother,. 

recloubll"  m'"'""""'^''  *"'^'  "»"«  """^  r.«autions.  and 

,  Wl  -.r  ""^■••''P"-'-'  «•<'  cnrnp  of  the  Blaok- 

Icct     When  wuhn,  a  few  days'  distance  from  it,  they  sen- 

a  d  as  l":^''''':  "  T  "'  "'"«•  '"  -«-  "'»  -•    'T 

vlrit  n,  ^""^  ""*  "'™  "  ""'"""'l-lmndle,  they  ad- 

oeived  the  cahmet,  and  were  inforn,ed  that  a  great  deputa- 
tion comm,ss,oned  on  tl>e  part  of  the  Crows  L  re  Jrinl 
to  tho,r  village,  with  pacific  intentions,    nerac  eT3 

one  of  .h„  »      7.     ^'  ""'"'  P«sented  his  gun  to 

second  "'1'"'°  Crows  and  the  other  gave  his  ho,.o  I  tho 
can  nit  «^'^  took  tho  same  way  together  towards  the 
camp,  but  the,r  path  led  through  a  deep  and  lonely  ravine 
There  tho  snaro  was  discovered.    The  two  Black-Feet  sud 

2  rvT't  "'V "°"; """  ^'''  *""'  -"»"y  -1  - 

then  kmed  the  horses  with  arrows,  and  concealed  their  car^ 
casses  beneath  the  underwood  and  briers.  Tho  two  scabs 
were  carefu  ly  secured  in  their  bullet-bags.  Il.aving"  Zfd 
ail  traces  of  blood  from  their  habili,„e„rs,  they  reiolecUhdr 
compan,o„s,  without  making  known  the  cruel  ac  o  pr  I 
oT:::."'r, '';'.'  consummated,  secretly  and  in  vi'ol  t,C: 

--us  cnmo  the  depuUition  made  a  solemu  entrance  into 

140 


I,    iiiiiHi 


illM 

III-  h 


162 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


the  camp  of  tlio  Black-Feet,  and  were  received  by  the  chiefs 
and  braves  with  the  greatest  cordiality,  and  with  every  atten- 
tion  of  Indian  hospitality. 

The  Black-Feet  declared  themselves  favorable  to  the 
treaty  of  peace.  They  received  joyfully  the  proposition 
which  the  Crows  made  by  their  guide  and  interpreter,  the 
recent  prisoner.  All  the  politeness  and  attention  of  which 
Indians  are  capable  were  lavished  upon  the  deputies  They 
were  mvited  to  a  great  number  offcasts,  to  amusements  and 
public  sports,  which  lasted  late  in  the  night.  They  were 
afterwards  distributed  to  the  lodges  of  the  principal  chiefs. 
m  order  to  repose  after  their  fatiguing  journey. 

The  inclination   to  steal  is   very  common   among  the 
women  of  several  tribes  of  the  Northwest.     The  Black-Feet 
women  share  largely  in  this  bad  reputation.    One  of  these 
femmine  pilferers,  favored  by  the  darkness  of  night,  silently 
entered  the  lodges  where  the  Crows  were  peaceably  sleeping. 
She  relieved  their  pouches  of  all  that  could  prove  valuable 
to  her.     While  searching,  she  laid  her  hand  upon  a  damp 
hairy  object,  and  instantly  perceived  it  to  be  a  scalp     She 
seized  It,  quitted  the  camp  in  the  greatest  possible  silence, 
and,  by  the  glimmering  of  the  watchfire  which  was  burning 
m  the  middle  of  the  camp,  examined  the  bloody  trophy     It 
18  very  difficult  to  move  an  Indian,  for  he  is  habituated  to 
Btrangc  sights.     Such  an  event  would  have  spread  alarm 
among  white  men,  but  it  only  tended  to  render  the  Indians 
mo-re  circumspect  and  more  prudent  in  taking  measures. 
1  he  woman,  after  reflecting  a  moment,  turned  her  steps  to- 
wards the  lodge  of  the  great  chief,  awoke  him,  and  commu- 
nicated to  his  ear  in  the  softest  whisper  the  important  discov- 
ery she  had  made.     He  lighted  a  pine  torch,  in  order  to  ex- 
amine  the  scalp.    At  the  first  glance  he  recognized  it  as  that 
ot  a  young  hunter  who  had  not  yet  come  back  from  the  chase 


AND  MI88IONAEIES.  ^^3 

iwnToZ  1         "     T;  ■•»"°""»«°J«<1  her  to  retire  l>  her 

Td  i*  ;    t      '  """""=  """"  ^'  '^o""  Mo,,  daylight 
ana  forbade  her  to  divulge  hor  secret,  or  to  excite  th„ 

^n,^*","  ^Fu-'^  ^"^  "''"•  »'°'"'  ""d  noiselessly,  made  the 
rounds  of  h,s  camp.    He  aroused  his  bravest  warr  o"s  to  th! 

whom  he  des,  ed  to  consult  in  this  circumstance.    They  fol- 

owed  h,m,  askmg  no  questions,  and  were  conducted  to  a 

sol,  ary  place  m  the  vicinity  of  the  camp.    ThereTnii^  I 

related  to  them  the  adventure  of  the  woman. 

own  edges,  and  m  the  very  camp  of  the  Black-Feet,  would 
be  a    v^ance  with  all  their  customs  and  practices  Zd 

or  five  hundred  warriors,  armed   and  mounted  on  tl2 
fl  etes   coursers,  and  witl.  countenances  far  from  frill    1 

cert  d  •  r™"  ":•  .  ^"'  '■""""'  ""  ■""  -ily  discon 
davfcht  '  "?•'■  "''  '■"""  "'  ''''"-•  •  ^^  -on  as  tTe 
a tld  c'^T   "i  "°  """P-  "">  Spotted  Deer  conven  d 

pef      Thev^r    "'  ?""""''•'  '"«  «™-  "^P""-  '0  ap- 
pear.   They  at  once  obeyed,  and  took  their  places  with  the 


I    I 


hi 


1G4 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


■( 


i 


rlif 


'-S 


air  of  haughty  indifference,  pecuh'ar  to  the  Indian,  in  tlio 
centre  of  a  circle  of  enemies  who  were  burning  with  ven- 
geance.    When  all  were  in  order,  the  Spotted  Deer  arose, 
and  thus  addressed  the  Grows  :    "  Strangers,  only  yesterday 
you    arrived  in  our  camp.     You  declared  yourselves  the 
deputies  of  your  principal  chiefs,  sent  to  conclude  with  us, 
liitherto  your  foes,  a  solid  and  durable  treaty  of  peace.     Wo 
listened  to  your  message.     Your  words   and  propositions 
seemed  reasonable  and  advantageous.    All  our  lodges  havo 
been  open  to  you ;  you  have  shared  in  our  feasts  and  hospi- 
tality ;  you  joined  in  our  games.    Yesterday  we  had  the  inten- 
tion of  showing  you  to-day  still  gieater  liberality.    But,  before 
discoursing  further,  I  have  one  single  question  to  ask  you. 
Crows!     I  must  have  an  answer;  and  that  answer  will  de- 
cide whether  peace  be  possible,  or  whether  a  war  of  destruc- 
tion must  continue."    Then  drawing  the  scalp  from  the  bullet- 
pouch,  and  displaying  it  before  them,  he  cried,  "Tell  me. 
Crows,  whose  hair  is  this  ?     Who  among  you  claims  this* 
trophy  ?"     Those  of  the  Crows  who  were  ignorant  of  the 
alluir,  looked  on  with  amazement,  and  could  only  imagine 
that  the  Black-Feet  sought  a  pretext  for  quarrelling.     No 
one  replied.     The  chief  resumed :    "Will  no  one  answer? 
Must  I  call  a  woman  to  question  these  Crow  braves  ?"    Then 
beckoning  to  the  stealer  of  the  scalp,  he  said  to  her,  «  Show 
us  to  which  warrior  this  trophy  belongs."     Without  hesita- 
tion,  she  pointed  to  one  of  the  brothers.     Every  eye  was 
fixed  upon  him.     The  chief,  Spotted  Deer,  approaching  the 
murderer,  said  to  him,  " Kuowest  thou  this  scalp ?    Didst  thou 
take  it  ?     Fearest  thou  now  to  avow  it  ?"     With  one  bound 
the  young  Crow  placed  himself  opposite  the  chief,  and  shout- 
ed, «  Spotted  Deer,  I  fear  not !     It  is  I  who  took  the  scalp  ! 
If  I  endeavored  to  conceal  it,  I  did  so  with  the  desire  of 
doing  more  evil !     Thou  askest  whose  hair  is  this.    Look  at 


I 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


165 


he  hairy  fnngc  of  tl.y  shirt  and  thy  Ic.^ins.  In  my  turn, 
I  ask  whose  ha,r  is  that  ?  Belongs  it  not  to  my  two  broth- 
CIS,  shun  by  thee  or  thine,  hardly  two  n.oons  ago  ?  or  be- 
lo.igs  It  not  to  the  relations  of  some  Crow  hero  present? 
lis  vengeance  brings  me  here  1  My  brother  holds  in  his 
«hot-bag  the  companion  of  this  scalp.  Wc  determined,  bo- 
fore  leaving  the  camp,  to  cast  into  thy  face  these  bloody 
tutts  at  the  same  moment,  as  our  challenge  of  defiance." 

This  language  determined  the  Black-Feet.  «  Young  man. 
thou  hast  spoken  well,"  replied  the  Spotted  Deer;  "thou  arJ 
valmnt  and  fearest  not  death,  wliich  will  strike  thee  and  thy 
companions  in  a  few  moments.  Yet  we  have  smoked  the 
calumet  together.  It  is  not  suitable  that  the  ground  on 
which  that  ceremony  took  place  should  drink  thy  blood 
See,  Crows  the  hill  before  you  !  It  is  in  the  way  that  leads 
to  your  lodges.  So  far  we  allow  you  to  go.  When  you  get 
there,  we  will  pursue  ^ou.     Go  on,  and  leave  us." 

The  Crows  instantly  left  tlie  place,  and  advanced  towards 
the  hill  designated  by  the  Black-Foot  chief,  determined  to  • 
sell  their  lives  dearly  in  this  unequal  combat.    Their  ene- 
mies mounted  their  horses,  and  awaited  with  ardor  the  order 
for  the  pursuit. 

As  soon  as  the  Crows  reached  the  hill,  the  terrific  war- 
whoop-the  ^am.^m_resounded  through  the  camp.    The 
Black-Feet,  burning  to  avenge  the  outrage  received,  rushed 
forward  with  the  greatest  impetuosity.     The  Crows,  after 
running  some  moments,  found  a  deep  ravine  excavated  in  the 
plain  by  the  running  waters:  judging  the  position  favorable, 
they  took  refuge  m  it,  and  maintained  themselves  for  some 
time.     As  soon  as,  in  their  first  ardor,  the  Black-Feet  ap- 
preached  the  ravine  to  dislodge  them,  a  general  discharge 
of  muskets  and  arrows  from  the  Crows  killed  eighty  Black- 
l^eet,  and  wounded  a  great  number.     This  disnl.aiw  routM 


«  L 


i  ■  ^^t 


i   ■■S 


li 


:;^1 


166 


i      iijilM] 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


them,  and  forced  them  to  draw  off.    The  Black-Feet  dis- 
mounted, and  on  foot  there  were  several  skirmishes  between 
the  two  bands ;  but  all  were  disadvantageous  to  the  Black- 
Feet,  for  the  Crows  were  protected  in  the  hole,  and  only 
showed  their  heads  through  necessity,  while  their  enemies 
fought  m  the  open  plain.     A  great  number  of  Black-Feet 
lost  their  lives  in  these  different  attempts,  while  the  Crows 
lost  not  a  man.    Spotted  Deer,  seeing  the  danger  and  the 
useless  destruction  of  so  many  warriors,  made  an  appeal  to 
his  braves.     He  proposed  to  them  to  place  himself  at  their 
head,  and  t.^  fall  simultaneously  on  their  enemies.    His  propo- 
sition was  accepted ;  the  war-whoop  resounded  anew  through 
the  bloody  plpjn ;  they  attacked  the  Crows  en  masse,  and 
after  having  discharged  on  them  their  guns  and  arrows 
armed  only  with  their  daggers  and  tomahawks,  they  darted 
with  confused  violence  into  the  ravine,  and  in  a  few  moments 
horribly  massacred  the  whole  band.     In  this  last  attack,  it 
is  worth  noting  that  not  a  single  Black-Foot  lost  his  life.  ' 
^  The  combat  ended,  the  scalps  were  carried  off  by  the  war- 
riors who  had  most  distinguished  themselves  in  the  affair. 
The  women  cut  the  corpses  of  their  slain  in  such  small  pieces* 
that  It  would  be  difficult  to  detect  among  them  the  smallest 
trace  of  the  human  form.     The  scalps,  "with  all  the  torn 
scraps  of  flesh,  were  then  attached  as  trophies  to  the  extrem- 
ities of  poles  and  lances,  and  triumphantly  borne  through 
the  camp,  mid  chants  of  victory,  yells  of  rage,  with  howling 
and  vociferations  against  their  enemies.     There  was  also  a 
general  mourning,  caused  by  the  loss  of  so  many  warriors 
fallen  m  this  horrible  engagement.    Since  that  day,  war  con- 
tinues without  relaxation  to  the  present  time. 

This  shocking  recital  I  learned  in  1851,  on  that  very  battle- 
field, and  from  a  chief  who  was  in  the  engagement. 
I  request  you,  in  a  special  manner,  to  pray  vei>  particu- 


l!il|:|: 


AHD  MI88IONABIES. 


167 


larly  for  theso  poor  Indian,.    Diiriog  foarteon  vear.  th„v 

nonlr'l  ^  '"."'"P"""-  "™«y  ««tcd  bread,  and  tl.ero  was 
"  C  t:^  "  'r  «'"■"■."  "'"yl^^J-'ly  quoted  in  r^Ir" 
^it   Zra^r^.    ",'"t  '"  *'''»  '  '"''«  been  to„ol,ed 

thaT  two  'r  V      r  ^"^  "^^PO'i"™',  ""J  am  convinced 
that  two  or  three  fervent  and  zealous  mi8»ionario8  could 

wt::r:ir  '-"'t '"""'''"'  ^-»  "■-  ■'-barn' 
:; Jinrerw::;:  citsMTi"'  "^^'-  H 

eral  letter,  from  them.  '      ''"'"  ""^""^  ''"■ 

Do  not  forget  me  in  your  prayers,  and  be  so  eood  a,  to 

.member  mo  to  the  Fathe.  and  Brothers  of  St'  M^I.t 

an]  'ZVi'  """''  "  "'■  '■*  'bo  most  profound  respect 

Rev.  and  dear  Father, 
Your  most  devoted  servant  and  brother  in  Christ, 

P.  J.  Be  IbaET,  S.  J. 


I'l 


I'! 


!    I 


108 


WE8TEUN   MISSIONS 


Letter  Xlll. 

To  TUB  Editor  of  the  PrAcis  IIistoriques,  Brussels, 

Tchatka. 

Reverend  Fat  ier  : 

You  have  received  the  atldress  of  Matau-Witko,  or  the 
Bear,  the  present  chief  of  the  Assiniboins.  This  has  shown 
the  favorable  dispositions  entertained  by  that  chief  for  our 
holy  religion.  I  spoke  to  you  of  their  hunts,  of  an  expedi- 
tion of  peace  and  war  sent  by  the  Crows,  or  Absharokays,  to 
the  Black-Feet,  or  Ziarzapas*  their  inveterate  enemies.  I 
have  described  the  Assiniboin  worship,  wliich,  in  regard  to 
ceremonies,  superstitious  practices,  and  various  points  of  be- 
lief, resembles  all  others  in  use  among  the  different  Indian 
tribes  of  the  Upper  Missouri. 

These  details  must  have  given  you  an  idea  of  the  lopth  of 
heathen  darkness  in  which  the  North  American  Indians  are 
yet  shrouded.  How  worthy,  alas!  are  they  of  exciting 
Christian   compassion  and    devotcdncss !     How  noble  the 


*  Tho  Black-Feot  are  one  of  the  most  powerful  tribes  in  the  new  ter- 
ritory of  Nebraska.  They  no«iber  about  10,000.  Their  war  and  hunt- 
ing parties  go  as  far  north  as  52°,  and  cover  all  the  valley  of  tho  Upper 
Missouri  and  its  tributaries  from  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  103°  north. 

I  have  already  given  a  table  of  tho  difFiirent  tribes  of  the  Upper  Mis- 
Bouri,  and  of  the  Sioux,  as  well  as  some  notions  on  the  bands,  territo- 
ries, language,  names,  names  of  principal  chiefs,  and  explained  tho 
word  wah-kon  or  medicine. 


AND  MISSION AUIEa. 


16a 


inisM.un  of  rc-Hcuing  tho  Uiiiulu  and  hearts  uf  this  -leKpised 
H.nl  lurlorn  .ace  tVoui  th.  dcgrudins  superHtitioim  and  inla- 
n...u8  crneltioh  to  whi.di  they  are  abandoned  :  of  8owin«  in 
that  unculUvated  soil  tho  nnistard-seed,  which  will  ^mug  up 
and  iKiar  tho  iniiuortal  blossoms  of  present  and  future 
happiness  I 

Some  of  our  Fathers  are  already  engaged  in  this  noblo^ 
task.  It  19  to  be  hoped  that  a  greater  number  may  be 
inspued  to  jcin  them  in  bearing  the  torch  of  faith  to  all  the 
nations  which  desire  it,  and  incessantly  implore  Black-gowns. 
I  8p(.ik  from  actual  knowledge  when  I  say  that  most  of  the 
nations  of  .the  Great  Desert  manifest  a  desire  for  instruction, 
and  listen  willingly  to  tho  word  of  the  Lord. 

To  iniiiate  you  still  further  in  the  knowledge  of  Indian 
manners  and  customs,  I  have  thought  that  you  would  be 
pleasel  to  receivo  a  sketch  of  the  life  of  the  most  renowned 
chief  ot  the  Assiriiboins.     He  was  a  craf.y,  cruel,  deceitful 
man,  a  bad   Indian,  in  every  sense  of  the  word ;  his  wholo 
hfe  was  full  of  horrors.     For  forty  years  he  led  his  tribe  in    ' 
tiie  torest.     At  the  commencement  of  his  career,  his  band 
numbered  o^■er  2000.     He  led  them  from  war  to  war,  some- 
imes  with  success,  often  with  reverse.     Disease  thinned  tho 
band-poison  and  battle  wasted  them  like  snow.     When 
they  were  but  a  handful,  he  beheld  the  remnant  of  his  gal- 
lant band  disperse,  and  seek  an  asylum  in  a  more  powerful 
and  numerous  camp.    He  died  as  he  had  lived.    Either  from 
fear,  jealousy,  or  hatred,  he  had  recourse  to  poison  to  rid 
himself  of  all  who  opposed  him.     Pursued  by  remorse  and 
despair  he  used  the  same  means  to  put  an  end  U,  his  own  days 
He  died  in  most  terrible  convulsions.     This  story  will  show 
you  (hat  the  Indians,  too,  have  their  Neros  and  Calio-uhis. 

All  the  accounts  that  I  have  read  on  the  statistics"  of  the 
Indians,  show  that  their  number,  constantly  decrease      To 

15 


P 


!:i 


•111! 


If 


170 


!iniii!i'i: 


"WntRN   MISSIONS 


wimt  » tl,„  ron,a,I  ,,bl„  doe;,„«  to  bo  „crlW.J )    Tl,„  l,i.t„rv 
lo«  tl.e  l„.tory  „f  tl,6  dec ■  „f  ,|,„  otl.or  triL      aT. 

::;:  ""'°^' ":-  p-"- "«■,.  -,.  i-t:.. ::  ■ ,;  ; 

tr.be,  »nd  u„k„„„„  di»„„«„  tl,i„  thorn.    Then  como,  Z 
ao,„n„,t„„e„  with  the  .,,ite.,  ,h,  r.r,,,,    ,„„„,  ZeJ^t 

lion.     Iho  «,«„,„ou»  li<,„or,,  whieh  they  offor  Ihe  I,„li.,„. 

.n  a  ,,„,>,.„„„     „,„.,.,,,,,  ,„„„  „^r-IJ;ZtZ 

"m,l,ed,,  and  t  ,cy  dH„,,,„ar,  leaving  Whind  thom  „,dy  Z 

no,n"lB.  a,  to„>K  which  dot  the  pl„i,„  and  hi.hlamUh, 

If  time  permits,  I  will  |,„re„ftcr  give  some  detail,  on  tho 
»  tual  co„d,t,on  of  the  Indian  trib,,,  unde,-  ,he  do,  .L  „' 
of      0  groat  Hopnblio.    Tho  g„ver„„.o„t  h,«  jl     ;:   '  " 

mbr,u.ka        rhey  on.brace  an  extent  of  neither  more  nor 

ihey  ml    then  l,„  dw.ded  M,to  several  .States,  and  each  of 
these  State,  wd  bo  larger  than  France.    Whit  ,  are  X  dy 

'"'•    ^^°  '""  J""'  J"»t  passed ;  no  steps  are  yet 


K.n.a.;  i.so«cr,i'„H  i:\;:°;^:  L  rj  1 7""'"''!>- 

Beparnte  it  from  Minnesota  nnr.  t  .  °  Mmsouri,  which 

Kooky  Mountains  ^  ^'^'"'  ""  ^'"  west,  it  extends  to  the 

rates;t  from  t^.e  0^0!^     '"•"' ' '"  ''''  "°'-"^'  ^"°  ^^th  degree  eepa- 
the  l/ocky  SonntdL  """""' '  ^"  ^^^  ''''''  ^^  ^  bounded  'by 

These  two  territories  contain  over  Rnn  nnn  .„ 
times  the  surface  of  Jieigiur  •       '       ^""'^  '""'^'  ^'^  ^^'^7 


iliiUii^ll 


!  i| 


AND   MiSHlONAUIKi. 


171 


tak.no  protect  the   LMian-,  an.l  alrea.ly  fifty  new  town, 
•nd  v.lI...gc.H  arc  u,   yyo^r.s.  ;  h.r,..,   ,Hn..H,   ...ill.,  .t..,  ri«o 

n?i.  L    .'tM  "'  '^""^''  ^'^'  ^""^'-'"^'"^"t.     I  dkl  not  then 
llii Ilk  that  Am  niomunt  of  it.va«ioM  was  ho  iw^r 

Iho  narrative  with  which  I  will  cutcrtuin  you  tc.  day  i. 
well  kr.own  ,„  all  the  r«^non  where  th.  see  J  occurred  I 
have  It  tn.uuwo  ruo«t  reliable  Hource^-that  .«  to  sav,  from 
a  man  of  tm.l  probity  ar.d  voracity,  Mr.  Doni(f,  of  'the  St. 
Louis  h.r  Company,  and  Aon.  a  worthy  Canadian  int.r- 
pre  or.  13  th  resided  many  yoars  an,ong  the  A«.siniboinH, 
ad  knew  the  subject  of  the  story,  and  witnessed  n.any  o 
iii8  acts.  •' 

Tbis  hero  i,  T.lm.U  or  O„„cl,or,  an  A™i„ib„i„  ol.i.f.   li„ 

or  t Mb,.  , h»t  1,0  led  «„d  g„v.,„e,l,  ll,„„  „„y  other  .nvnyo 
Nestor  «l,o,e  l„„„rj.  I  l,„vo  lear„eA  He  l,,,d  ..eceivod  sev- 
emi  namos;  l„u  that  of  Gaucher,  or  Awkward,  i.  that  by 
«h,ch  he  was  know,,  an,..,,.,  the  voyoyeur,*  and  Cur-trader., 
.other  name,,  were,  Wah-kon-kansta,  or  the  Great  Medi- 
,.c     Mu,a.\„ugha,  or  the  KuilehoUler 1  Tatokah-nan. 

po.  ods  ot  h,s  I,  e,  ,„  ,„„„,ory  of  son.o  re.na.kable  deed  by 
h    h  he  had  d,»t,ngui»hed  J.iu,self,  and  which  will  appear 
lu  the  course  of  my  narralivo.  ' 

t  t  ,fl  encc  A,  the  n.ombe,.  pu,.po,od  elccting.L 
t  ^  ch,et,  a„  conductor  of  the  camp,  as  soon  as  ho  should 
atta,,,  h,s  ,„ajo,-,ty,  he  attracted  the  attention  of  the  north- 
em  fu,-  raders  of  Upper  Canada  and  the  Hudson  Bay  C  I 
l->y's  tc„.,tory.     The  intimacy  ,vhich  ho  cultivated  wTh 


a...,.,je  ...0  slate  liuators  01  ll,„  West,  «  peculi,«  ,et  «rmra.  ' 


172 


WHTKUN    Mlrt!4loNII 


i 
14  ' 


Mi 


lillii!!!!: 


tlio  whiti-H,  iinito.l  to  ft  li!;;li  (Eoj^rccof  nntlvo  ruimiri^M.rovod 
till)  iiioaiiHof  his  m-.j.iiiin;,'  iii.mv  uMm,  wliiiili  ^nw.  |,i„,  on  lii« 
nitiini  a  kimi  of  .liht,n<ti.»ii  iimon^r  his  j),.op|,..     |l,i  lm,|  aUo 
ol.laiiUHl,  by   uwnm  of  u  w|,i|..  ,„an,  a  <|nMnli(y  «,t'  |H,i.,uii, 
Hinl  lia*l  l..arno.|  ii^  |.r..iM.rii,.H  ati.l  uh«.     T.lmika  wan  an  uu- 
iMJiioipl...!,   .l.'.-uitlul,    ciiiinii.j^r,   (.osvnr.lly  man.      Altlicii^h 
young  an.l  viguroUM,  li«  always  k.-pt  out  ..f  dan^or.     Wliilu 
tho  wairiutH  of  his  tiil.u  wuio  (Ij^'litin;^  in  tl.u  pla'in,  he  wouUl 
l)«  nviiU'd  on  a  liill  or  Homo  othi'i-  hj.oI  fi..ni  which  ho  could 
ohm-rvo  all  that  paMH.-.I.     Uu  hail  hoon  initiatod  Jnto  all  tho 
tricks  v(  ih(.  jiijxj^'ii'rs.     JK,  n.nvr  |MM(onn.'(l  incantation  and 
ju^'j^l.TicH  without  a  gooti  hoi-Ho  lM«i.|o  him,  on  which  ho 
fpian;^  in  awo  of  .lofoat.     Ho  was  alwayH  tho  first  to  cscapo, 
almnllonin^f  tho  conihatantH  to  their  own  lu(;k,  an<l  g.,t  ofFHS 
woll  aH  ho  couKI.     A8  wo  shaill  hoo  in  the  se^juel,  he  benuno 
chief  of  two  hundred  aiul  eighty   lodges,  or  about  twelvo 
hundred  warriors.     The  great  confidence  which  they  had  in 
thoir  leader  seems  to  have  been  the  cauHO  of  his  great  sue- 
coss  in  the  war  against  the  l5lack-Foet  and  other  enemies  of 
the  nation. 

As  soon  as  Tchatka  ha<l  attained  tho  ro.|uiHito  ago,  ho 
used  every  ellort  lo  attain  his  ol.j...-t  and  satisfy  his  ambition. 
Ilo  ealcidaled  the  advantages  and  ascendency  he  would  ob- 
tain over  the  i)eople  by  becoming  initiated  in  the  great  band 
of  medicine-men  or  jugglers,*  and  he  pretended  to  tho  gift 


t+: 


•  Tho  Wiili-kons,  or  Modicino-incn,  nmong  tho  Amoricnn  Indinnn, 
mid  tlio  I'nnoinooHi  of  Northern  Asia,  holoiiff  to  tlio  aiuno  claHH.  In  botli 
licfiiisphercs  these  chiirhitans  pretend  to  heiil  disoascH  by  witclieraff 
tlioy  predict  tho  ynm  of  wnrn  and  hunts.  In  all  cusoh  they  protend  to 
be  in»|)ircd  by  Manitous;  that  Ks,  divinitioHor  spirits.  They  generally 
retire  to  tlio  dcptli  of  the  forestn,  where  tlioy  pretend  to  fast  for  several 
dayH,  and  often  praetiee  very  visroroim  penances,  consisting  espuoialiy  In 
corporal  macerntioiis  ;  then  tliey  lioat  the  driini,  dance,  sing,  smoke, 
cry,  uad  howl  like  wild  boasts.    All  thobe  preparatives  are  accouipauied 


AND  MWBIONAnilM. 


178 


of  pro,»l,ocy.  A  •ocon.l  motive  fnr  thin  initialion  whh,  that 
l»u  miKlit  lh..r..l.y  coiiccmI  Iuh  wiuit  of  l.niv.5ry— »i  quality  in- 
dl».|»<.t,«al>lu  in  a  cl.i.,f.  Ma„y  r.inarkal.l.,  Mtoii.«  aio  rulat.-d 
ot  hiH  e,va.;titu<lu  lit  piclidin-  fufiiro  cvntH,  and  for  which 
thu  hinipl,,  Huvap'H  ruuM  givu  no  <-x|.lanHtion. 

'I'rhaik.i  wa.H  not  i.,Mi...;,i,t  thut  tl.cro  woro  ««voral  powonn 
111  tho  tnl.«  wh..Hi-  inlh„,,Hc,  w„«  ^.|«at,  wlio  woro  oi-l.-r  lliati 
Jus  and  wh.).had  acpiir.,,!  l.y  iU^,\f  y,,u„.  j,,  ^j^^,  an<l  l.y  ilniir 
wimloiu  in  thu  cuim.^il,  ival  litlcn  to  u.«  diginiy  of^.n-at .  hicf. 
In  oidor  to  aiioi^ato  to  hiinsclf  tho  huIo  f^ovtsrtimunt  of  tlio 
<:ainp,  ho  coiict-ivod  tho  frightful  dosi.irn  of  jotting  lid  of  his 
conipotitoiH.     II.,  hrut.^dit  to  tho  oxccutiou  of  hin  pr..j,..ct  all 
hiH   cuMiii.iir  and   doct-il.     I   have  already  alludod    to   tho 
l.oiHunH  it)  his  p.xsH0H8i„n.     Ijy  Hccrot  oxpoiiujoritH  ho  bociuiio 
woll   iiif-.i-nRMl  curicoitdi.i,^  their  power  an<l  innucnee.     Ho 
adminiHti-red  it  Inn.self;  or  l.y  the  hands  of  olhois,  so  adroit- 
ly that  not  tho  i.-ast  Huspicion  was  excited.     IHh  character 
of  prophet  c/iiuo  to  liiH  aid.     lie  predicted  to  hin  victiniH, 
often  Hoveial  weeks  and  un^ntfis  U-foro  tho  event,  that  they 
had   not  h,ng  to  hve,  aeconJing  to  tho  revelatioim  of  his 
Wah-kon,  and  nuinitous  or  spiiits.     Tho  accompliHimient  of 
tliis  species  of  prediction  establi.vhcd  his  reputation  ;  lie  ob- 
tained tho  title  of  » Strong  in  Jugglery."     The  poor  savages 
regarded  him  with  fear  and  rcsp-ct—as  a  being  who  could 
at  hia  will  dispose  of  iifo.     Many  made  him  presents  of 

by  a  hoKt  of  furious  uctionH,  niid  such  oxtriionlinury  contortions  of  body, 
that  thoy  would  seem  posBosHod.  Tlicbo  juK«lor«  nro  vlHltcd  secretly  by 
night  by  nccoru|)!iccs  lit  tliuir  craft  mul  liyi-ocriny,  vvlio  curry  tl.em  nil 
the  HOWS  of  tho  villago  uiul  itH  neighborhood.  By  thcso  mouim  the  jug- 
glcrs,  on  leuviiig  tlio  forest  und  reluniing  to  tho  vilhigo,  easily  iinpof.o 
on  tho  credulous.  Tho  lirst  part  of  thdr  predictions  consists  in  giving 
im  exact  account  of  nil  tho  events  of  the  viliugo  Minco  their  departure— 
miirriagos,  doaUis,  returns  from  the  war  or  tho  hunt,  and  all  other  re- 
Uiurkublu  iteniH, 

160 


1  I 

Hi 


liiii 

11    i        I! 


Illii 


I     ! 


m 

;:!!■  ill;  'i 
■,■11  i-  111'" 


lliilii 


174 


"WKSTERN  MISSIONS 


horses  and  other  objects,  in  order  to  escape  figuring  on  tho 
list  of  his  fatal  predictions. 

Tho  most  iiiiiuentiai  and  courageous  personage  of  tho 
Assiniboins,  tlio  principal  obstacle  to  tho  ambition  of  Gau- 
cher or  Tchatka,  was  his  own  uncle.  To  a  lofty  stature,  his 
uncle  joined  a  bravery,  a  boldness,  and  a  violence  which  no 
one  dared  oppose,  lie  bore  the  name  of  the  Walking  Bow, 
or  Itazipa-man.  He  was  renowned  for  his  valorous  deeds  iu 
combat.  His  robe,  his  casque,  liis  clothing,  his  tomahawk, 
lance,  and  even  tho  bridle  and  saddle  of  his  steed,  were 
adorned  with  scjilps  and  trophies  taken  from  his  enemies. 
lie  was  surnamed  The  One-eyed,  or  Istagon,  because  ho  had 
lost  an  eye  in  battle  by  an  arrow. 

Tchatka  was  jealous  of  the  power  of  Istagon,  and  of  the 
influence  the  latter  exercised  over  the  whole  tribe.     Hither- 
to he  had  not  attempted  the  life  of  his  uncle ;  as  he  feared 
his  anger,  he  desired  to  assure  himself  of  his  protection. 
He  needed  him  as  long  as  those  were  living  who  might  op- 
pose  his  ambitious  march,  the  success  of  which  was  so  little 
merited  on  his  part :  no  deed  of  arms,  no  trophy  gained 
from  tlie  enemy,  could  authorize  him  to  carry  his  preten- 
sions higher.     By  his  arts  and  flattery,  by  an  assiduous  at- 
tention aud  feigned  submission  to  the  smallest  desires  of  the 
chief,  the  cunning  young  man  succeeded  in  gaining  the 
friendship  and  confidence  of  his  uncle.     They  saw  each  other 
more  frequently  :  they  gave  each  other  feasts  and  banquets, 
iu  which  the  greatest  harmony  seemed  to  reign.     One  even- 
ing Tchatka  presented  his  guest  a  poisoned  dish  :  the  latter 
according  t^^  the  Indian  custom,  ate  the  whole.     Knowing, 
by  experience,  that  in  a  few  hours  the  ingredient  would  pro- 
duce its  eliects,  Tchatka  invited  all  the  princip.-il  braves  and 
soldiers  of  the  eanip  to  repair  to  his  lodg(s  announcing,  that 
he  had  an  atlair  of  the  liigli.st  inipoitmce  to  oominuiiicate 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


175 


to  them.  Jle  placed  his  Wah-kon  in  the  n.  it  suitable  and 
inost  conspicuous  part  of  his  lodge.  This  Wah-kon  of  Gau- 
cher's  consisted  of  a  stone,  painted  red,  and  surrounded  by  a 
ittle  fence  of  small  sticks  about  six  inches  in  length.  It 
lay  at  a  little  distance  from  the  fire,  which  was  burning  in 
the  centre  of  the  lodge,  and  opposite  the  place  where  he  sat. 
It  had  occupied  this  place  for  several  years. 

As  soon  as  the  whole  assembly  wore  arranged,  Tchatka 
disclosed  his  Wah-kon.    He  declared  to  them  that  the  thun- 
der,  during  a  nocturnal  storm,  had  laimched  this  stone  into  the 
middle  of  his  lodge;  that  the  voice  of  the  thunder  had  told 
hira  that  it  possessed  the  gift  and  the  spirit  of  prophecy; 
that  the  Wah-kon  stone  had  announced  that  a  great  event 
was  about  to  take  place  in  the  camp;  for  that  very  night 
the  most  valiant  brave  of  the  tribe  would  struggle  in  the 
arms  of  death,  and  that  another,  more  favored  than  he  by 
the  spirits,  would  take  his  place,  and  would  be  proclaimed 
great-chief  of  the  camp;  that  at  the  very  moment  the  chief 
expired,  the  Wah-kon  stone  would  vanish,  and  accompany 
the  spirit  of  the  deceased  into  the  country  of  souls. 

A  mournful  silence  succeeded  this  singular  declaration.   As- 
tonishment, mingled  with  superstitious  dread,  was  depicted  on 
the  faces  of  all  those  who  composed  the  assembly.     No  one 
dared  to  contradict  the  discourse  of  Tchatka,  or  call  in  doubt 
his  words.    Besides,  on  so  many  other  occasions  his  predic- 
tions had  been  realized  at  the  appointed  time.    He  whose 
death  had  been  foretold,  without  being  named,  was  present 
As  several  occupied  nearly  as  high  a  rank  as  himself  in  the 
camp,  and  shared  the  power  in  concert  with  Istagon,  the 
latter  did  not  at  first  apply  to  himself  exclusively  the  an- 
nouncement of  death  which  had  just  been  made  so  mysteri- 
ously.    He  did  not  yet  feel  the  effects  of  the  poisoned  dish, 
and  had  not  even,  the  slightest  suspicion  on  the  subject. 


Ml       ■  ^ 


i  I 


I 


176 


WESTERN  anssioNs 


1(11 


!  i'i 


i  '  ! 

i 


llllijliltll 


1 

'^  1 

1 

lilil 

|iiiilH'i.,' 

1 

ii 

1     i!!' 
1 

} 

1    ' 
ililii 

Each  witl.drow  to  his  own  lodge;  but  chirlc  apprehensions 
troubled  their  minds,  and  agitation  controlled  their  hearts. 
Who  will  be  the  victim  announced  ? 

^  Towards  midnight  a  messenger  informed  Gaucher  that 
his  uncle  and  friend  was  very  sick,  and  wished  positively  to 
speak  with  him.  The  nncle  suspected  the  perfidy  of  his 
liophevv,  and  was  resolved  to  stretch  him  dead  at  bis  feet 
whde  he  yet  possessed  sufficient  strength.  The  wily  Tchatka 
answered  the  messenger,  «Go,  tell  Istagon  that  my  visit  to 
hun  would  prove  useless.  I  could  not  possibly  at  this  mo- 
ment quit  my  lodge  and  my  Wali-kon." 

In  the  mean  time  a  great  tumult  and  great  confusion  arose 
throughout  the  camp ;  consternation  became  general.     In 
his  horrible  convulsions,  and  before  they  had  deprived  him 
of  the  use  of  speech,  Istagon  declared  to  the  braves  who  first 
miswcrcd  his  call,  that  he  suspected  Tchatka  of  being  the 
cause  of  his  death.     They  at  once  uttered  shrieks  of  rao-o 
and  vengeance  against  the  latter,  and  hastened  to  his  lodr^o 
to  c:.ecute,  their  threats^     Tchatka,  apparently  grieved  and 
melancholy,  on  acconnt  of  the  unhappy  lot  of  his  uncle 
and  trembling  with  fear  at  the  sight  of  so  many  uplifted 
tomahawks,  besought  these  avengers  of  Istagon  to  suspend 
their  wrath  and  deign  to  listen  to  him.     "Relations  and 
friends,"  said  he,  "Istagon  is  my  uncle;  the  same  blood 
flows  in  our  veins;  he  has  ever  loaded  me  with  marks  of 
his  friendship  and  his  confidence.     How  then  could  I  injure 
him  ?     A  few  moments  ago  you  saw  him  vigorous  with 
health;  now  that  he  is  grappling  with  death  you  come  to 
discharge  your  vengeance  upon-me !     What  have  I  done  to 
deserve  it  ?    I  predicted  the  event !    How  could  I  help  doing 
so?     Such   was  the  decree  of  my  great  Wah-kon!     Apt 
preach,  and  observe  it  closely,  for  I  announced  at  the  same 
time  that  my  Wah-kon  v-ould     "sappear,  in  order  to  accom- 


il  I' 


AND  MIS8I0NAJRIES. 


177 


pany  the  soul  of  the  chief  i.to  the  region  of  spirits.     If  my 
word  ,s  accomplishecl.  and  my  Wah-kon  stone  disappears  is 
It  not  an  evKlent  s,gn  that  the  death  of  Istagon  is\.the;  a 
decree  of  the  manUous  than  a  treachery  on  my  part  ?    Wait 
a.d  judge  for  yourselves."    These  few  words  Ll  the  desired' 
eftcct;  they  seated  themselves  as  sentinels  around  the  mys- 
terious stone.  _  Neither  calumet  nor  dish  was  handed  round 
n    us  mute  cu-cle-silent  in  appearance,  but  tumultuous  in 
leahiy  for  their  hearts  were  agitated  with  different  emo- 
tions, to  which  the  discourse  of  the  perfidious  Tchatka  had 
given  rise. 

During  the  t«ro  hours  that  this  scene   lasto.l,  the   fire 
■   gradually  became  dim,  and  shed  only  a  few  feeble  dimmer- 
.nge,  wh.ch  were  from  time  to  time  reflected  from  those 
scubre  and  sm.ster  faces.     I„  the  interval,  some  runners 
arnved,  to  announce  the  progress  of  the  malady.     "  Isia^n 
.s  .n  convulsions,  and  utters  naught  but  slnioks  of  ra.re  a„d 
despair  aga.nst  his  nephew-his  convulsions  grow  mo're  fce- 
ble-lje  IS    osmg  h,s  speech-he  can  only  be  heard  with 
d.lhcuUy-Iie  IS  m  agony-Istagon  is  dead."    Cries  of  dis- 
trc»  accompanied  this  last  message.    At  the  same  instant 
the  n,yster,ons  stone  burst  into  a  thousand  fragments,  -vitl,  a 
no,se  hke  thnndcr,  which  palsied  all  the  as.,ist:nts  w  th  fear 
In  seattenng,  ,t  filled  the  lodge  with  cinders  and  Are  and 
wounded  severely  the  nearest  of  the  observers.     Stu'nned 
and  fnghtened,  all  took  flight  from  this  scene  of  prodigies. 
The  „Kl,gnat,on  and  revenge  which  animated  them  a  mo- 
mo  t  before  agamst  Tchatka,  gave  place  to  fear,  mingled 
with  awe  and  respect  for  him,  and  they  no  longer  dared 
approaeh  h„n.    The  supernatural  power  of  the  Wah-kon  wis 
acknowledged,  and  he  who  had  received  it  from  the  th™de 
was  honored  throughout  the  camp  with  the  title  of  Wah- 
ton-Tangka,  that  is,  Gfrmt  Medicine. 


i  iil 


llllii 


mi 


ir 


1  m\ 


" 


i    i »:; 


t    ' 


liii': 


m 


17S 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


This  pretended  supernatural  affair  is  thiis  explained :  Tho 
wily  savage  had  been  a  long  time  preparing  the  part  he  in- 
tended performing.  Some  days  beforehand  he  pierced  tho 
stone,  and  charged  it  with  nearly  a  pound  of  powder.  A 
train  of  powder,  carefully  covered  over,  conducted  from  tho 
place  in  which  he  was  seated  to  the  hole  excavated  in  the 
stone— a  distance  of  six  or  eight  feet,  lie  seized  a  favorable 
instant  for  lighting  a  piece  of  tinder,  and  at  the  very  mo- 
ment that  the  death  of  tho  "  One-eyar  was  announced,  ho 
fired  the  train — the  stone  exploded. 

All  these  subtle  and  perfidious  means  of  Gaucher  must 
appear  very  simple  in  the  civilized  woild,  where  poison  and 
powder  are  so  often  emi)loyed  in  all  manner  of  crimes  and 
misdemeanors ;  but  among  the  Indians  the  case  was  widely 
difierent.  They  were  then  ignorant  of  the  destructive  power 
of  these  two  articles.  It  is  not,  therefore,  astonishing  that 
they  saw  only  Wah-kon— that  is  to  say,  the  supernaturtil  and 
incomprehensible— in  all  this. 

^  At  his  deeith,  Istagon  left  a  great  number  of  friends,  espe- 
cially among  the  warriors,  who  were  sincerely  attached  to 
him  on  account  of  his  bravery.  Several  among  them,  less 
credulous  perhaps  than  the  others,  eyed  Tchatka  with  stern 
and  threatening  looks  every  time  thjit  he  appeared  in  public. 
But  as  he  lived  retired,  rarely  quitting  his  lodge,  their  dis- 
dain and  aversion  for  him  were  not  much  remarked.  Besides 
as  I  have  already  observed,  he  had  a  numerous  band  of  rela' 
lives;  the  members  of  his  family,  on  whom  he  could  rely, 
with  his  partisans,  formed  a  fourth  part  of  all  the  camps,  or 
about  eighty  lodges. 

Tchatka  was  well  persuaded  that  a  politic  stroke  was  still 
necessary  to  gain  the  undecided,  tho  discontented,  and  the 
mcrcdulous.  Circumstances  seemed  to  favor  this  measure ; 
he  resolved  to  have  recourse  to  it  while  the  prodigy  of  the 


AND  MISSION AKIES. 


179 


Btone  was  slill  fresh  in  their  memory.  It  has  occasionally 
happened,  too,  that  on  the  death  of  a  chief,  a  numer^^^ 
camp  divides  into  difterent  companies,  above  all  if  there 
had  existed  any  anterior  discord.  Tcliatka,  therefore,  shut 
himself  in  his  lodge  during  several  days,  without  communi- 
cating openly  with  any  one.  The  camp  expected  something 
marvellous.  The  causes  of  this  long  retreat  were  discussed ; 
they  lost  themselves  in  conjectures  ;  all,  however,  were  fully 
persuaded  that  some  new  mai.!''i8tation,  either  good  or  evil, 
would  be  the  result.  On  the  ■I'th  day  of  Tchatka's  retreat, 
a  general  uneasiness  was  manifested  among  the  savages,  and 
they  spoke  of  dividing. 

What  was  the  fomous  Tchatka,  the  Great  Medicine— the 
hope  of  some,  and  the  terror  of  others— doing?  Nothing 
else  than  making  a  drum,  or  tchant-cJieega-kaho,  of  such 
dimensions  that  never  any  Indian  had  imagined.  Some  time 
beforehand,  in  the  premeditation  of  his  exploit,  he  had  ' 
secretly  sawed  a  piece  of  an  enormous  hollow  tree,  very  suit- 
able to  his  design.  Its  height  three  feet,  and  its  breadth 
two,  his  drum  resembled  a  churn.  One  end  was  covered 
with  goatsVin,  and  the  other  only  with  wood.  He  employed 
seve'-al  days  in  cutting  and  scraping  the  interior  of  thii.^ 
famous  instrument,  in  order  to  render  it  lighter.  On  the 
exterior  of  this  tchant-cheega-Jcaho,  he  painted  the  figures  of 
a  grizzly  bear,  of  a  tortoise,  of  a  >  'son  bull— three  superior 
genii  in  the  catalogue  of  the  i.  iian  ma;  itous.  Between 
these  figures  were  painted  human  heads,  without  scalps,  till- 
ing every  space,  about  eighty  in  number.  On  the  skin  of 
the  drum,  a  chief  of  the  Black-Feet  tribe  was  represented, 
without  a  scalp,  m  /;  'r^,aud  d..ibed  with  vermilion. 

He  had  finished  his  work,  and  made  all  his  pi-eparations. 
At  midnight  the  voice  of  Tchatka  was  hcanl,  v/itli  the  mnf- 
fled  sound  of  his  tchant-cheega,  which  resounded  through  the 


180 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


m 


PIJ:' 


m 


camp     As  though  just  coming  forth  from  an  ecstasy,  he 
offered  Hloud  his  thanksgivings  and  his  invocations  to  the 
Great  Sp.nt  and  to  nil  his  favorite  ma.utous,  to  thar.k  them 
for  the  new  favors  with  which  they  had  just  crowned  him,  the 
effects  of  which  were  to  rclloct  upon  the  whole  tribe.    Willi- 
out  dehiy,  every  one  listened  to  his  call,  and  repaired  to  his 
lodge.     Observing  the  usual  customs,  the  counsellors,  the 
principal  among  the  braves  and  soldiers,  entered  the  first,  and 
soon  filled  his  abode;  while  hundreds  of  the  curious,  old 
and  young,  collected  and  besieged  it  without.     Curiosity  is 
at  Its  highest  pitch  :  they  are  on  fire  to  learn  the  explana- 
tion   of  the    mysterious  news ;   they   wait   with    anxious 
impatience. 

As  a  preliminary,  Tchatka  intoned  a  beautiful  war-sono-. 
without  paying  the  slightest  attention  to  the  multitude  wliicdi 
pressed  around  him.  In  his  quality  of  medicine-man,  his 
head-dress  was  made  of  swan's-down ;  his  face  and  his  breast 
were  painted  in  figures  of  different  colors;  his  lips,  dyed 
with  vermilion,  indicated  that  he  thirsted  for  blood,  and 
breathed  the  spirit  of  war.  When  he  perceived  that  the 
whole  band  was  around  him,  he  arose,  and  with  the  voice  of 
a  stentor,  addressed  the  assembly. 

"I  dreamed,"  said  he,  « friends  and  warriors,  I  dreamed  I 
During  five  days  and  five  nights,  I  was  admitted,  into  the 
land  of  spirits  ;  living,  I  walked  among  the  dead.  My  eyes 
have  witnessed  frightful  scenes;  my  ears  havo  heard  friiit- 
lul  moans,  sighs,  lamentations,  and  howliugs !  IL  ve  vou 
courage  to  listen  to  me  ?  Can  I  suffer  you  to  become  the 
Victims  of  your  most  cruel  enemi.s  ?  For,  know  that  dano-er 
is  near— the  enemy  is  not  far  dutant !"  '^ 

An  aged  man,  whose  white  hairs  announced  seventy  win- 

tei^,  the  grand  counsellor  of  the  nation,  and  a  juggler,  replied : 

A  man  who  loves  his  tribe,  conceals  nothing  tro^  H^ 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


181 


peoplo.    Wlioa  danger  is  at  hand,  he  speaks;  when  the 

enemy  IS  ni  sight,  he  goes  out  to  meet  him.     Vou  say  you 

Imve  VKsited  tl.e  region  of  souls;  I  believe  in  your  words     I 

a  so  m  my  dreams,  have  frequently  conversed  with  the  ghosts 

of  the  departed.     Tchatka,  though  young,  has  given  us  ex- 

aordmary  proofs  of  his  power;  the  h.st  hour  of  Istagou 

was  tern  ,e,  but  who  dares  rise  to  blame  you?     You  o^.iy 

predicted  the  two  events:  the  ehief  died,  ar.d  the  Wali-kou 

disappeared.     I  nlso  performed  wonders  in  n.y  youth.    Now 

I  am  o  d  ;  but  although  my  limbs  begin  to  be  feeble,  I  have 

yet  a  elear  m.nd.     We  will  listen  to  your  words  with  atten- 

ion,  and  then  we  will  decide  on  the  course  we  ought  to  take. 

1  have  spoken."  ° 

The  speech  of  the  old  man  had  a  favorable  effect  on  the 
whole  assembly.  Perhaps  he  was  in  Tcl.atka's  secret.  All 
the  succeeding  orations  manifested  a  feeling  of  inclination  to 
the  murderer.  The  latter,  re;.ssured  concerning  the  dispo- 
sitions in  regard  to  him,  continued  his  rccita.  with  firmness 
and  sliowed  confidence  respecting  his  future  plans. 

"Let  those  who  have  ears,  hearken  to  me!  those  who 
have  not  are  free  to  go  !     You  know  me.     I  am  a  man  of 
few  words,  but  what  I  advance  is  true,  and  the  events  which 
I  predict  arrive.     During  five  days  and  five  nights  my  spirit 
was  wafted  amid  the  spi.-its  of  the  dead,  especially  of  our 
relatives  and  friends-of  our  friends  whose  bones  are  whiten- 
ing  on  the  plains,  and  which  the  wolves  drag  into  their  lairs 
-of  our  fnends  who  still,  unavenged,  wander  up  and  down, 
amid   swamp,  and   snow,  and  ice,  in  sterile  and  forsaken 
deserts,  which  produce  neither  fruit,  nor  root,  nor  animal,  to 
subsist  on      It  is  a  place  of  darkness,  w^ere  sunlight  never 
enters.    Ihcy  are.  subject  to  all  privations-cold,  hunger, 
thirst.    We,  their  friends,  their  relatives,- their  brethren,  are 
the  cause  of  their  long  sufferings  and  fearful  woes.     Their 

16 


^'i    i|!li!!!ii 


183 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


i  «•;!« 


'  I  !i 


liLl; 


h*  I 


iighs  and  moftns  were  unsupportftblo.    I  trembled  in  every 
limb;  my  \um-  stood  oroct  on  n.y  head;  I  believed  ray  lot 
fixed  with  theirs;  when  a  kindly  spirit  tom^hed  my  hand 
and  md :  '  Tclmtka,  return  to  the  i>laoe  which  thou  hast  left  • 
return  to  thy  botly,  for  it  is  not  yet  time  for  thee  to  enter  thj 
land  of  spnits.     Return,  and  thou  slmlt  bo  the  bearer  of 
good  news  to  thy  nation-tho  shades  of  thy  deceased  reia- 
tions  shall  be  avenged,  and  their  deliverance  is  nigh.    In  thy 
lodge  thou  wilt  find  a  drum,  painted  with  figures  that  soon 
thou  Shalt  learn  to  know.'     At  this  instant  the  spirit  left  mo. 
Coming  forth  from  my  dream,  I  found  my  drum,  painted  as 
you  now  behold  it.     When  my  body  was  restored  to  anima- 
tion, I  found  that  I  had  not  changed  position.     During  four 
days  and  four  nights  I  had  the  same  vision,  varied  sometimes 
but  always  accompanied  with  complaints  and   reproaches 
concerning  our  recent  defeats  by  our  enemies,  the  Black-Feet. 
The  fifth  night,  the  manitou  addressed  mo  anew,  and  said  • 
'Ichatka,  henceforth  the   tchant-checga-kaho  shall    be  thy 
Wah-kon.     Arise,  follow  without  delay  the  war-path  which 
leads  to  the  Black-Feet.     At  the  source  of  the  Milk  Eiver 
thirty  lodges  of  the  enemies  are  encamped.     Set  out  instant- 
^,  and  alter  five  days'  march  thou  shalt  reach  ihe  camp 
On  the  sixth  thou  shalt  make  a  fearful  carnage.     Every 
bead  painted  on  the  drum  represents  a  scalp,  and  the  taking 
of  these  scalps  will  appease   the  manes  of  thy  deceased 
parents  and  friends.     Then  only  will  they  be  enabled  to  quit 
the  frightfol  abode  where  thou  beholdest  them,  to  enter  the 
beauteous  plains  where  plenty  reigns,  and  where  suflFering 
and  privation  are  unknown.     At  this  moment  a  Black-Feet 
war-party  is  prowling  around  the  camp.     They  sought  a 
favorable  moment,  but  not  finding  it,  have  gone  in  search  of 
a  weaker  enemy.     Set  out,  then,  without  delay ;  thou  shalt 
fand  an  easy  victory ;  thou  shalt  find  in  the  Black-Feet  camp 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


183 


only  old  men,  women,  nn.l  children.'     Such  wore  the  words 

of  the  maiiitou,  and  ho  disappeared.    I  returned  to  my  body. 

I  recovered  my  senses.     I  have  told  you  all."*     Thus  spoko 

this  extraordinary  man. 

Heloro  continuitig  the  strange  history  of  Tchatka  and  of 

his  predictions,  it  will  be  necessary  to  explain  that  he  gained 
over  to  his  cause  and  person  several  active  young  men,  the 
best  runners  in  the  camp.  From  them  ho  obtained  in  secret 
all  the  news  and  information  that  they  could  gather  in  their 
long  expeditions,  either  as  to  the  hunt,  or  as  to  the  proximi- 
ty, number,  and  position  of  the  enemy.  The  juggler,  as 
soon  as  he  is  informed,  makes  his  medicine  or  incanUtions, 
and  then  prophecies  to  the  people,  who,  not  suspecting  tho 
trick,  deem  all  supernatural  that  comes  from  the  impostor's 
iuouth.. 

Let  us  continue:  the  discourse  of  Tchatka  (for  we  will  so 
style  him  in  our  narrative,  although  he  had  now  received 
that  of  Wah-kon-Tangka  or  Great  Medicine)  had  produced 
the  effect  he  desired  on  all  his  auditory.  The  Assiniboins 
entertained  a  mortal  hatred  against  the  Black-Feet;  this 
detestation  had  been  transmitted  from  father  to  son,  and 
augmented  by  continual  aggressions  and  reprisals.  Wo  may 
form  an  idea  of  the  propensity  that  Indians  have  for  war, 
from  the  expression  which  they  use  to  designate  it.  They 
call  It  "The  Breath  of  their  Nostrils."  Each  f  lily  num- 
bered  some   member   slain    by   their    dreadful    adversary. 


*,,  ^T^  i*"'  ^"^^'"'^  ^''^'^  celebrate,  towards  tho  close  of  winter. 
the  "Feast of  Dreams."  Tho  ceremonies  arc  often  prolonged  to  ten 
days  or  a  fortnight.  They  might  rather  bo  termed  Bacchanalia  or  Car- 
nival. Even  the  Indians  call  it  the  "Feast  of  Madmen."  These  are 
days  of  great  disorder  ;-whon  all  they  dream  or  pretend  to  dream  must 
be  executed.    Dances,  songs,  and  music  form  tho  principal  coromoniea 


184 


WKHTKUN    MlNHItlNH 


"'""  """""7; '  "» tl,.,  „.,.l|,.,|,.,t.,,    Tl 

" '"•;""»"• l.l„Mvl„.|.' „,. 'li 

1"..«>U,1.I,.KK,.,.,,I1I,.I  „„..«    ,1.,.  I,„„,«  ,„„|  „,,■..»«    L 

"";;":'/''•; "•—"»"•' t'- ' >vu     :  ; 

,";::,"■' 7^,»i"i«'h.M. ,..,,•„,„,,„,, 

"*■"•'  '"'  ''"'  .l"""->'    A 'Wl.  it  »u,,,  „  ,.,,„„|  „„,,, 

,„.,„,.     N,„  ,  ,„.. „,,.  „„,,  ^^,  _^^^_^^^. 

tl.us,,..,„  ,.|,,„.,„,„|  ,„  ,„„  „.i|„.     All  r..|i,.,l  i„„,li,.itlv  ..,  11  , 

;:••".' ■."•;'■•■ ^ "•! .".-a r,,,i„.  i  ; "," 

•  tl-  u„„v  „.  w.;.,...,  ,1,0  » , „;„,,;, , 

-,.      IU.,v,,..,l:   "Y,.,,  l.avo  »o..„  ,1..,  ,1,.,  uo  , 

i».  1  i..v,  o,o>i  i,,,vo  >i™„.„  „,„,„  ,„„  „,„  „,.„,„  „r ;; 

.'.urn.      lUo  .K-rutus  ,vi.»rtoa  hU  rc»iK.„so  to  their  com- 


AND    MIHMfONAUIRi. 


185 


riuh'H ;  l.ut  III.)  latU.r  itiHiHlnil  nriovv   timt  Trlmtkn  Imi  of  llio 
«uiM|miiy.     A   new  •li'|*iitHii<iii,  c.iiiiMm.ul    iIiIh  timo  of  iho 
iiiiHn-iit  ii)|iU,iv»m  of  iHtat^oii,  Hoii^rht 'iVhiiiUa  in  tliu  naiij.i  of 
ilm  wliol.i  .•iiiiiji,  Hti*i  uiiti.HiiKUMi  to  liiiii   iliiit  Imiuufforwuid 
lin  hliMiii.l  |«,  ilu.ir  WHirliioi;  lui.l  all  |Moiiiim'<l  him  n*|H«'t 
uikI  ol,.u|i,.,u-.     AfU'f  hoiim  l...siiatiuii,  'Vnhiakn  Huvn>iulviv,\ 
iniUi'W  .■ntivuli..s,  HH)ii,i^:  '•  Kricn.l.s  un.|  i.latiohM,  I  i\n<^vX 
tint  wi'..ii^rH  tluiL  I  Imvi.  .(ii.iiiiv.j.      If  M.y  i.ri'.li.ficMiM  HI-.,  ac- 
roinplJMlic.l      if  wo  IIikI  tliti  <-uiii|i  of  tli.,  |;ia.:Ji  bWx  whi.li  I 
liHVt)  .l«'Mij;ii/»Uu|— ir  w<,  wnv  from  tlm  v.iwtuy  iih  many  Hculpa 
HH  aro  on  my  .hum,  will   y„n   in   fnliir.^  JHlifvo  in  my  ifiv.nl 
in.'.liiim,  (     III  ,|,.,-Ihi„  lo  you  tImt  on  tim  Ho.iond  day  aft.T 
our  .iDi.nitmci  w.,  hhall  .K.lo.a  tlu,  trail  of  tlm  wui-parly  that 
lias  paHHf.l  near  ..nr  <!am|.~if  wu  hlay  on  tlio  hatllc-fu!!.!  tho 
pvat  .iliii^f  ..f jho    l.Miuk  K.t,  an.l  you  h.o  liim  iw  hu  in 
l».iint.t.|  on  my  .jnim,  wiili.iul.  a  kchIi.  and  willmul,  hands  ;— if 
nil  this  h^^  acu.mj.lihh.d  jit.;rally,  will  yon  in  fiituru.ruMpond 
to  my  call  V     Th.-y  all  a.-ccpLcl  his  (•.)nditionM.  *x 

ImmcdiaU'ly  Tchalka  aiom-,  intoiHid  his  war-Ron/,f  to  tho 
Bound  of  his  drum,  and  lo  tho  acdamations  of  tho  wholo 
triho.  Jh)  thcMi  jt.incd  his  hand,  hut  without  arms,  not  even 
H  knife,  lie  or.lored  them  to  faslun  his  drum  on  tho  hack 
of  a  mo.mI  hois.-,  which  ho  had  hid  lu-Hide  him  hy  one  of  his 
faithful  spies  an.l  runners,  hy  the  hri.lle. 

In  onler  to  uii.lershind  holtor  tho  issue,  it  may  not  bo 
irrelevant  to  nay  a  few  w..r.ls  (,n  the  Indian  chiefs.  Each 
iiutiDU  is  divide.l  int.)  dilfcivnt  haii.U  or  tiihes,  and  each 
tribe  counts  several  villa-vs.  Kvery  vilia.,^!  has  its  chief,  to 
whom  they  sui)init,  in  proportion  to  the  respect  or  terror 
which  his  personal  qualities  inspii.i.  The  power  of  a  chief  is 
sometimes  merely  nominal ;  sometimes,  als(j,  his  authority  is 
ahsolute,  and  his  name,  as  well  as  his  inlhienee,  extends  be- 
yond the  limits  of  his  own  villajre,  so  that  tho  whole  tribe  to 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


186 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


¥<•' 


Wli 


which  he  belongs  acknowledgv   him  as  their  head.    This 
was  the  case  among  tlie  Assiniboins  in  the  time  of  Tchatka. 
Courage,  a<ldress,  and  an  enterprising  spirit  may  elevate 
every  wai-rior  to  the  highest  honors,  especially  if  his  father 
or  an  uncle  enjoyed  the  dignity  of  chief  before  him,  and  that 
he  has  a  numerous  family  ready  to  maintain  his  authority 
and  avenge  his  quarrels.     Yet  when  the  seniors  and  war- 
riors have  installed  him  with  all  the  requisite  ceremonies,  it 
must  not  be  supposed  that  he,  on  this  account,  arrogates  to 
himself  the  least  exterior  appearance  of  rank  oi-  dignity.     He 
is  too  well  awaie  that  his  rank  hang^  by  a  frail  thread,  which 
may  quite  easily  be  broken.     He  must  gain  the  confidence 
of  his  uncertain  subjects,  or  retain  them  by  fear.    A  great 
many  families  in  the  village  are  better  off  than  the  chief;— 
dress  better,  are  richer  in  arms,  horses,  and  other  possessions. 
Like  the  ancient  German  chiefs,  he  gains  the  confidence  and 
attachment  of  his  soldiers,  first,  by  his  bravery,  more  fre- 
quently by  presents,  which  only  serves  to  impoverish  him 
the  more.     If  a  chief  does  not  succeed  in  gaining  the  love  of 
his  subjects,  they  will  despise  his  authority  and  quit  him  at 
the  slightest  opposition  on  his  part;  for  the  customs  of  the 
Indians  admit  no  conditions  by  which  they  may  enforce 
respect  from  their  subjects. 

It|  rarely  happens,  among  the  Western  tribes,  that  a  chief 
attains  great  power,  unless  he  is  at  the  head  of  a  mimerous 
family.     I  have  sometimes  seen  whole  villages  composed  of 
the  descendants  and  relatives  of  the  chief.     This  kind  of  ^ 
nomadic  community  has  a  certain  patriarchal  character,  and 
is  generally  the  best  regulated  and  the  most  pacific.     The 
chief  is  less  a  master  than  a  father,  who  reigns  in  a  numer- 
ous household  by  the  wish  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  render 
all  happy.     It  may  be  said  in  general  of  the  Indian  na- 
tions, that  tribes  little  united  with  each  other,  rent  even  by 


W': 


AND   MISSIONARIES, 


187 


discord  and  jealousy,  can  possess  little  power  and  exercise 
it  less. 

Let  us  return  to  Tchatka,  the   grand  chief-elect  oT  the 
principal  band  of  the  Assiniboins.      lie  found  himself  in 
command  of  four  hundred  warriors.     They  marched  the 
rest  of  the  night,  and  during  the  whole  of  the  next  day, 
with  the  greatest  precautions  and  in  the  best  order,  so  as  to 
prevent  all  surprise.     Some  scouts  alone  ran  over  and  beat 
the  surrounding  country,  leaving  in  their  passage  signals  and 
rods  planted  in  the  earth,  and  inclined  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  indicate  the  route  that  the  little  army  ought  to  follow. 
About  evening  they  descried  a  thick  wood,  on  the  border  of 
a  little  stream,  and  there  erected,  hastily,  a  kind  of  parapet, 
or  defence,  with  the  dried  branches  and  trunks  of  trees,  and 
thus  passed  behind  it  a  peaceful  night.      In  the  mornino' 
they  found  themselves  in  the  midst  of  an  innumerable  herd 
of  bisons,  and  stopped  some  instants  to  renew  their  stock  of 
provisions.*    Towards  nightfall  a  faithful  scout  returned  and 
communicated  secretly  with  Tchatka.    After  marching  still 
several  miles,  the  chief,  with  the  beating  of  his  drum,  Wah- 
kon,  collected  all  his  warriors,  and  pointing  with  his  fino-er 
to  a  high  hill,  some  miles  distant,  he  informed  them  that 


*  I  have  often  Bpoken  of  the  bisons,  improperly  called  buffaloes, 
without  mentioning  the  great  use  which  the  Indians  make  of  this  in- 
teresting animal.  They  supply  almost  all  the  necessaries  of  life.  Their 
skins  form  lodges  or  dwellings,  and  servo  as  clothing,  litters,  bridles,  and 
saddle  coverings,  vessels  to  hold  water,  boats  to  cross  lakes  and  rivers ; 
with  the  hair,  the  Indians  make  their  cordage;  with  the  sinews,  bow- 
strings and  thread  for  clothes,  as  well  as  glue ;  the  shoulder-bl'ade  is 
spado  and  pickaxe.  The  bison  is  their  daily  bread,  their  chief  food. 
The  dung  of  the  animal,  called  hois-de-mcTie,  furnishes  abundant  fuel. 
Last  year  100,000  buffalo-skins  were  sent  from  the  desert  to  the  ware- 
houses of  St.  Louis.  With  the  proceeds  the  Indians  obtain  arms  and 
all  they  need. 


188 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


there  they  would  truce  the  war-party  of  the  Bhick-Feet,  of 
which  he  had  dreamed  before  leaving  the  camp.     Several 
horsemen  set  out  without  delay  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy. 
At  the  spot  indicated  they  found  the  path  tracked  by  nearly 
a  hundred  horses.     All  the  warriors  redoubled  their  zeal, 
ai-dor,  and  confidence  in  their  new  chief.     The  two  succeed- 
ing days  offered  nothing  very  singular.    They  again  stopped 
m  the  evening  of  the  fifth  day,  without  discovering  the  small- 
est  vestige  of  proximity  to  the  hostile  camp  they  sought. 
The  watchful  scouts  were  gone,  during  the  day,  in  different 
directions,  without  bringing  back  the  least  news,  except  the 
one  who  had  been  in  secret  communication  with  Tchatka. 
Several  of  the  most  ancient  of  the  warriors  murmured  boldly," 
Baying,  "that  the  day  predicted  by  the  chief,  on  which  they 
would  surely  see  the  enemy,  had  passed." 

But  Tchatka  silenced  them  all,  replying  to  tliera :  "  You 
seem  still  to  doubt  my  words— the  time  is  not  past!   Rather 
say,  the  time  is  arrived.     You  appear  still  young  in  experi- 
ence— and  yet  a  great  many  winters  are  beginning  to  whiten 
your  heads.     Where  do  you  think  you  will  find  the  lod-es 
of  your  enemies  ?     Is  it  in  the  open  plain,  or  on  the  summit 
of  an  elevation  ?   With  a  single  glance  of  the  eye  we  perceive 
all  that  is  there,  and  is  it  there  you  pretend  to  discover  them  ; 
and  that,  too,  in  a  moment  in  which  those  who  should  pro- 
tect their  wives  and  children  are  afar?     The  bear  and  the 
jaguar  hide  their  little  ones  in  their  dens,  or  in  the  depth  of 
impenetrable  forests;  the  wolf  hides  them  in  a  hole;  the 
goat  and  the  deer  cover  them  with  hay.     When  you  hunt 
the  deer,  do  you  not  peep  through  the  trees  and  the  briars « 
In  the  fox  and  the  badger  hunt,  you  seek  their  lairs.     Let 
some  one  go  and  examine  the  little  point  of  forest  near  the 
large  rock,  at  the  end  of  the  plain  in  which  we  are." 

Instantly,  several  of  the  most  courageous  and  the  most 


AND  MIS8IONAKIE8. 


189 


experienced  in  the  stiatageins  of  wainiro  were  sent  to  tho 
discovery.  Favored  by  tho  uiirht,  and  with  all  posHJblo  pre- 
cautions,  they  entered  tho  little  wood,  and  made  all  their  ob- 
Boi  vations  without  being-  perceived.  In  the  silence  of  mid- 
night, they  repoi-ted  their  news  to  Tcliatka  and  his  com- 
panions  — "that  they  had  discovered  the  Black-Feet  en- 
campment in  the  place  indicated  by  the  chief;  that  tho 
lodges  were  occupied  solely  by  old  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren ;  that  they  could  not  hear  the  voices  of  any  youth  ;  and 
that  all  the  liorses  were  gone."  This  account  filled  these 
barbarous  hearts  with  joy.  The  rest  of  the  night  was  passed 
in  songs  and  dances  to  the  sound  of  tho  great  drum,  in  jug- 
gleries and  invocations  to  the  manitous  who  had  inspired 
Tchatka  during  his  five  days  and  five  nights  of  dreams,  and 
which  had  c<n  <]ucted  his  spirit  into  tho  regions  of  souls. 

At  the  break  of  day  the  four  hundred  Assiniboin  war- 
riors surrounded  the  thirty  feeble  wigwams  of  the  Black- 
Feet.     The  cry  of  war  and  of  vengeance,  which  they  shouted 
simultaneously,  like  so  many  bloodthirsty  furies,  awakened 
and  filled  with  dreadful  fear  those  unhappy  mothers  and 
children  left  unprotected  there.     In  accordance  with  their 
expectations,  the  Assiniboins  found  few  men  in  the  camp ; 
all  had  gone  with  the  war-party  of  which  I  have  made  men- 
tion.     The  small  number  of  Black-Feet  youth  defended 
themselves  with  desperate  bravery ;  but  they  could  not  long 
resist  so  many  enemies.    The  combat  was  short ;  the  car- 
nage bloody  and  hideous.     Old  men,  women,  and  children, 
fell  an  easy  prey  to  the  cruel  Assiniboins.     Only  two  young 
Black-Feet  escaped  this  shocking  butchery.     An  Assinibbin 
who  participated  in  the  combat  gave  the  recital  of  it  to  M. 
Denig,  and  declared  that  with  his  own  hand  he  had  killed 
fourteen  children  and  three  women.    M.  Denig  asked  him  if 
he  had  killed  them  all  with  arrows.    "Some  of  them,"  an- 


190 


WE8TEKN  MISSIONS 


yr 


.<'-i 


Bwered  ho ;  "  but  failing  in  arrows,  I  had  recourse  to  tlie 
tomahawk  and  tlio  dagger."  lie  added,  at  the  same  time,- 
that  they  tore  from  the  arms  of  their  mothers,  and  took' 
with  them  a  great  number  of  little  children,  and  that  on 
their  way,  amid  their  songs  and  tJie  scalp-dances,  they 
amused  themselves  with  flaying  them  alive  and  running 
pointed  sticks  through  their  bodies,  in  order  to  roast  thera 
alive  before  the  fire.  The  piercing  shrieks  of  these  little 
creatures  fell  upon  the  car  of  these  baibarians,  amid  their 
inhuman  orgies,  like  the  sweetest  and  most  delightful  mel- 
ody. All  that  a  pitiless  and  savage  heart  could  invent  of 
torture,  was  put  in  practice  on  this  occasion.  The  Assini- 
boins  declare  that  they  satiated  themselves  with  cruelty,  to 
satisfy  the  manes  of  their  deceased  parents  and  kindred, 
and  their  implacable  and  long-wished-for  vengeance  against 
the  greatest  of  their  enemies,  the  Black-Feet.  The  number 
of  scalps  taken  surpassed  greatly  the  number  of  heads  paint- 
ed on  the  drum. 

When  returning  to  their  own  grounds,  at  the  first  en- 
campment which  they  made,  one  of  the  warriors  remarked, 
and  loud  enough  for  Tchatka's  ear,  "  that  the  Black-Foot 
chief  had  neither  been  seen  nor  slain."  The  chief  replied : 
"  Our  work  is  not  yet  finished ;  we  will  therefore  have  an- 
other encounter  before  repairing  to  our  homes.  The  Black- 
Foot  chief  shall  die  !  I  saw  him  scalped  in  my  dream :  such 
he  was  painted  on  the  drum  by  the  manitous.  His  scalp 
shall  be  taken  from  him  with  his  own  knife." 

A  gentle  shower  fell  during  the  night ;  a  heavy  fog  ob- 
Bcured  the  sky  during  the  morning,  which  obliged  the  whole 
company  of  warriors  to  remain  together,  in  order  not  to  lose 
their  way.  After  some  hours'  march,  the  sound  of  a  gun 
discharged  in  front  of  the  line,  informed  those  who  brought 
up  the  rear  that  an  attack  had  commenced.    Every  one 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


101 


pressed  forward  to  join  tlio  combatants.  It  was  a  rencontro 
with  a  troop  of  twenty  or  thirty  Black-Feet  tliat  the  fog  had 
separated  from  their  companions.  Notwithstaiidiru^  al!  the 
mana'uvres  of  Tchatka  to  shelter  himself  from  danger,  ho 
found  himself  enveloped  in  the  midst  of  the  fight,  ignorant 
which  way  to  turn.  The  Black-Feet  defended  then.sftlvcs 
courageously,  but  they  were  forced  to  yield  to  the  superior 
number  of  adversaries.  Several  escaped  by  means  of  the 
fog,  which  covered  them  from  view.      • 

In  the  heat  of  the  engagement,  Tchatka's  horse  was  killed 
under  him;  the  horseman  and  his  steed  rolled  in  the  dust. 
At  the  same  instant  a  Black-Foot,  of  lofty  stature  and  pro- 
digious  strength,  hurled  his  lance  at  him,  which  only  grazed 
the  head  of  his  enemy,  and  struck  deep,  quivering  in  the 
earth.    Then  he  attacked  him,  knife  in  hand.    Tchatka  rose 
rapidly  from  his  fall,  and,  coward  as  he  was,  in  self-defence 
he  displayed  skill  and  strength.     He  seized  the  arm  of  liis 
terrible  adversary,  and  used  every  effort  to  wrest  the  knife. 
As  the  combat  in  front  of  the  line  had  ceased,  the  Assini- 
boins,  perceiving  the  absence  of  their  chief,  returned  to  look 
for  him.     They  found  him  prostrate,  and  still  combating 
with  this  powerful  enemy.     The  Black-Foot  now  disen- 
gaged, raised  his  arm  to  plunge  his  knife  into  the  heart  of 
Tchatka,  when  he  received  the  blow  of  a  tomahawk  on  his 
skull,  which  stretched  him  without  consciousness  beside  his 
vanquished  adversary.    The  latter,  in  his  turn,  seized  the 
murderous   instrument  and  finished   the   Black-Foot.    On 
rising  he  shouted  :  "  Friends,  behold  the  chief  of  the  Black- 
Jeet,  for  his  medal  reveals  and  proclaims  him!    I  hold  in    • 
my  hand  the  knife  of  M4ttan  Zia  (Bear's-Foot),  whose 
mighty  deeds  you  know,  and  who  has  been,  during  many 
years,  the  terror  of  our  nation."    With  the  same  blood- 
stained knife  he  scalped  him  and  cut  off  his  two  hands,  in 


.fj 


192 


"WKaTEBN   MISSIONS 


1 1' 


I'll 


in  order  to  accomplish  the  last  p«)int  of  hi«  great  prophecy, 
whicli  will  bo  rci)cHUMl  from  father  to  koii  amorijj;  the 
AsHiiiil)(/ms,  t'o  the  last  frencratioii.  On  this  occasion 
Tclialka  received  the  third  name,  Minayougha,  or  the  Kuifo- 
holdcr. 

The  whole  tribe  gave  tliemsolves  up  to  a  delirium  of  joy, 
■which  I  could  not  describe,  when  the  expedition  returned 
with  80  many  trophies  gained  from  their  most  cruel  enemies. 
The  dances  and  incantations  to  the  sound  of  the  mysterious 
drum,  and  the  public  rejoicing  which  commonly  accompany 
the  scalps,  wero  renewed  a  hundred  limes  during  the  space 
of  a  single  moon.  The  glory  of  Tclialka  and  his  manitous 
was  chantod  in  the  whole  camp.  They  announced  hinj, 
with  the  highest  acclamations,  the  Minayougha  and  the 
Wah-kon-Tangka  par  excellence,  whom  none  could  resist.  Ho 
lost  none  of  the  advantages  which  he  had  gained  in  public 
opinion  by  his  profound  and  cruel  stratagem.  The  whole 
command  of  the  tribe  was  intrusted  to  him,  and  never 
chief  among  the  Assiniboins  attracted  so  much  respect  and 
fear. 

Like  a  true  bashaw,  or  modern  Mormon,  he  selected  three 
wives  at  once,  without  even  consulting  them.  Two  of  these 
had  been  already  betrothed  to  two  young  and  very  influen- 
tial warriors.  Notwithstanding  their  protest,  the  parents 
believed  themselves  honored  in  being  allied  to  the  family  of 
the  great  chief,  by  the  choice  which  he  made  of  their  daugh- 
ters, and  they  were  conducted  to  the  lodge  of  Tchatka.  To 
maintain  peace  in  his  new  household,  and  put  the  discon- 
tented in  good-humor,  by  destroying  every  hope,  he  gave 
orders  to  one  of  his  partisans  to  poison,  in  secret,  his  two 
competitors.  The  better  to  shield  himself  from  all  suspicion, 
lie  set  off  in  the  chase.  On  his  return,  they  gave  him  the 
news  of  their  death.     He  contented  himself  by  saying, 


#'»ifl 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


193 


«tl.at  tho80  who  wore  capublo  of  Contradicting  him  in  tho 
smallest  tn/lc8,  or  who  prosiunoU  to  dcspiMo  hi«  powor,  were 
in  imminent  danger  of  death." 

In  this  inanner  tho  principal  nccornph-ce  associated  with 
IchatliH,  lor  executing  his  nmnerous  poisonings,  fnlfilled  hin 
"inndatos.     Wo  shall  say  a  word  concerning  tho  relations  in  ' 
which  thcso  two  detestable  men  stood.     Tho  hidden  abettor  ' 
was  a  near  relative  of  tho  chief.     Ho  was  about  fivo  foot  ia 
licMght,  at,d  ot  a  robust  and  vigorous  frame.     IIo  had  lost  au 
eye  ma  quarrel  with  a  young  man  ;  ovor  tho  other  hung  a 
great  flap  of  flesh,  beginm-ng  from  the  middle  of  his  fore- 
head, and  extending  as  far  as  his  under-jaw.     He  had  a  flat 
nose,  thick  l.ps,  a  large,  gaping  mouth,  which  displayed  two 
rows  of  oval  tooth,  as  white  as  ivoiy.     He  concealed  lightly 
his  ugly  frontispiece  under  tufts  of  thick,  filthy  black  hair 
matted  together  with  gum  and  resin,  mingled  with  vermil- 
ion.   4or  several  years,  when  he  visited  Fort  Union,  at  the 
mouth  ot  the  Yellowstone,  he  was  the  terror  of  all  the  cliil- 
dren,  for  it  was  impossible  to  meet  a  human  face  moro  fri-^ht- 
ful  and  moro  loathsome.     Undoubtedly,  the  marks  of  con- 
tempt that  ho  everywhere  received,  on  account  of  his  ex- 
tenor,  excited  in  him  tho  inveterate  hatred  that  he  boro  to 
his  rvice.     The  artful  Tchatka,  perceiving  some  advantages 
that  he  might  draw  from  a  man  of  this  nature,  in  the  execu- 
tion of  his  designs,  had  long  before  taken  him  as  associate. ' 
He  always  treated  him  with  kindness,  made  him  presents, 
sought  his  confidence  on  various  occasions,  and  flattered  his 
vicious  inclinations.     Ho  could,  in  consequence,  always  rely 
upon  this  man,  wh.n  there  was  occasion  to  injure  his  equals, 
aud  the  poison  had  been  administered  so  adroitly  to  the  two 
young  warriors  that  neither  he  nor  Tchatka  were  suspected. 
On  the  contrary,  in  tho  opinion  of  the  whole  tribe,  a  new 
gem  had  been  added  to  the  brilliant  reputation  of  Wah-kon- 

17 


I 


t     I 


■i.  I 


'"'^4m 


194 


WESTIiUN    MLSHIONS 


Tunpflca,  who  could,  whun  iliHtunt  or  noar,  control  tho  livo«  of 
hio  Hulijucts. 

During  tho  first  ycnrs  that  Tclmtkii  found  himHolf  nt  tho 
Load  of  hia  tribo,  succcm  very  geiuTally  crowneil  nil  his  un- 
disrtakinifs,  and  his  renown  paHHod  into  all  tho  ncighboiiiij^ 
tribes.  Jlowovor,  it  soniolimt's  hajJjKjricd  that  his  warriom 
vroro  Iwattin.  On  such  occasions  hu  was  always  tho  first  to 
tako  fiight,  giving  for  excuse  to  his  comrades  that  his  great 
luodiciuo  (his  drum)  carried  him  away  in  spite  of  liimHclf. 
It  was  most  prudent  to  credit  his  word,  for  should  any  ono 
bo  so  v;i8h  as  to  doubt,  he  would  be  scarcely  sure  of  escaping 
tho  sudden  and  mysterious  death  which  seemed  promptly  to 
attack  all  his  enemies  in  his  own  camp. 

In  1830,  after  having  predicted  success,  ho  experienced 
Ills  first  great  defeat,  on  the  part  of  the  IMack-Feet,  leaving 
on  tho  plain  beyond  sixty  warriors  slain,  and  nearly  an  ecputl 
number  wounded.  From  this  moment  dates  the  comm%nco- 
ment  of  his  fall ;  tho  prestige  which  hitherto  surrounded  hia 
namo  and  his  deeds  began  to  fail.  About  this  time  tho  fur- 
company  had  received  a  new  and  very  largo  stock  of  pro- 
visions at  Fort  Union.  It  had  been  furnished  din-ing  two 
years  with  merchandise,  for  executing  tho  treaty  among  the 
Indian  nations  in  Upper  Missouri. 

In  hopes  of  repairing,  iu  some  manner,  the  great  loss  that 
he  had  just  undergone,  to  arouse  tho  dejected  courage  of  his 
soldiers,  to  "cover  the  dead,"— that  is  to  say,  to  put  an  end  to 
the  mourning  in  the  families  which  had  lost  near  kindred  in 
the  last  battle,  Tchatka  promised  them  boldly,  "that  he 
would  render  them  all  rich,  and  would  load  them  with  an 
abundance  of  spoils,  so  that  all  the  horses  of  the  tribe  would 
not  be  able  to  carry  them.  He  had  been  favored  with  a 
new  dream, — a  dream  which  will  not  deceive  tlieni,  provided 
they  enter  into  his  designs,  and  that  they  be  faithful  in  the 


fkd- 


AND    MIHMIoNAUira. 


105 


exocution  of  ]m  or.lnrH."  H„  |„ul  fornicl  tho  pn.joot  of 
nei/iiif^  l-'oii  n„inr.,  will,  ii  Iwin.l  uf  tw.,  Iiuri.|r(..|  mAevl  wur- 
rioiH.  'r.:li.itkii  pix-Hciih!.!  I.iiiis,rir  tli.ni.  II..  all\;cU-.l  a 
mu^rulnv  iVi.MHlHhii,  lor  tlu,  wliitcH.     1I„  att...ni.to.l  to  umko 

tl.o  HU|M.|ii,t(.t..|„ht,  M  M ,  hdievo  that  1,.,  was  en  route, 

with  liiH  Imn.l,  fur  tl.o  country  of  tho  MirmtnrirH  of  MisHouri,' 
their  onomioH ;    that  th»,y  hml  need  «,f  Mornc  iinmitioiis  of 
war;   mi.l  that  th(iy  intcfiKhtd  continuiri^r  on  their  way  nt 
dayhnmk.     IIoHpitaiity  was  kindly  accor.lcd  to  thoin.     Tho 
chief  pluyod  his  part  so  w.,ll,  that  tho  ordinary  precaution  of 
diHanniiijr  jr„eHtH,  and  puttin^r  their  weap^riH  under  lock  and 
key,  was  n<.;,r|eefed  on  this  .jccasion.     The  plan  that  Tehatka 
liad  developed  to  \m  wariiors,  was,  to  retire  to  tlu!  diirerctjt 
chambers  of  tho  fort,  un.l  to  massacre,  during  their  filecp,  at 
n  given  signal,  all  those  who  occupicl  thcin.     ]Jy  a  happy 
-  incident,  some  days  previous  to  this  enterprise,  all  the  Cana- 
dian.  employees  at  the  fort,  to  the  mimhor  of  about  eighty, 
liad  come  to  Fort  Union  for  goods  to  trade  with  tho  Crows 
nnd  the  HIack-Keet.     Notwithstanding  this  strong  reinforce- 
ment, the  savages   might  have  sueccedcl  in   tlnjir  design. 
An  Assiidl.oin  had  a  sister  married  to  one  of  tho  merchants 
from  the  North.     ])csirou8  of  saving  tho  life  of  his  sister, 
and  of  sheltering  her  in  tho  melee  wiiich  was  to  take  place' 
he  communicated  to  her,  under  the  strictest  secrecy,  the  in- 
tentions of  the  chief,  inviting  her  to  come  and  pass  the  niglit 
in   his  room,  that  he  miglit  tho  better  protect  her.     The 
woman  promised  to  follow  him ;   but  went  immediately  to 
warn  her  husbatid  against  the  danger  which  menaced  him 
as  well  as  all  the  whites  at  tlio  fort.      The  husband  an- 
nounced the  plot  to  the  superintendent  and  to  all  the  gentle- 
men in  chiirnfe. 

The  employees,  one  after  tho  other,  were  called,  without 
arousing  the  least  suspicion.     Tliey  quitted  their  apartments 


100 


WEhTKUN    MI.SHIOMS 


■'11 


I  11'''!' 


li'l]!, 


qiiiolly,  were  nrrno.l  in  tlio  twinklin;;  of  an  cyo,  took  powK.-*- 
•i«>ri  of  tho  two  bitHtioriH  ami  of  all  tlio  iniixntunt  pointu  of 
tlio  fort.  W'Uan  all  tho  procautiotm  wcr«  taken,  Tchatkii 
and  tho  prin(i|.al  hiavtm  of  hin  hand  wero  invited  to  ropair 
to  tho  pallor  of  tho  coniinandant,  who  opoidy  reproached 
them  with  tliuir  black  treachery.  Giving  no  hoed  to  their 
protoHtatioiiH,  ho  gave  them  their  choice,  either  to  (juit  the 
fort  without  blowM,  or  to  1x3  clijwcd  from  it  by  tho  big  guns 
(cannon),  which  were  levelled  at  thetn.  Tchatka  accepted 
tho  fonncr  without  lu-Hitation,  nnd  instantly  withdrew,  cou- 
Aisod  and  vexed  at  having  lost  so  fine  an  opjjortunity  of  en- 
riching hini#}lf  an.l  his  tribe,  at  having  failed  in  \m  proniiso, 
and  in  the  acconiplishniunt  of  his  [)rot(!nded  dream. 

Tchatka  had  exhausted  all  his  medicine  sack,  or  proviKion 
of  poisons.  Ilis  former  Northern  fri.jnds  had  refused  to 
furnish  liim  any  more.  Ho  was  absolutely  determined  on 
procuring  some,  for  poison  was  In's  only  means  of  getting 
rid  of  those  who  opposed  his  ambition  or  contradicted  him 
^  in  his  plans.  Ho  performed  his  diabolical  deeds  with  such 
ftkill  and  secrecy,  that  tho  Indians  were  firndy  persuaded 
that  their  chief  had  only  to  will  it,  and  they  would  die. 
Honco  their  abject  submission  to  his  every  and  least  caprice. 
This  people,  formerly  free  m  air,  was  reduced,  during  a  suc- 
cession of  years,  to  tho  condition  of  slaves  to  the  most  cow- 
ardly ;ind  pitiless  tyrant. 

In  tho  course  of  the  year  1830,  Tchatka  presented  himself 
again  at  Fort  Union,  at  tho  head  of  a  band  of  hunters.  They 
went  there  to  sell  their  peltry,— viz.,  buflfalo-robes,  beaver- 
skins,  and  the  fur  of  badgers,  foxes,  bears,  deer,  goats,  and 
big-horns ;  in  a  word,  tho  fruits  of  their  hunting  excursions, 
in  exhange  for  tobacco,  ornaments,  blankets,  guns,  ammuni- 
tion, knives,  daggers,  and  lances.  A  large  [)ortion  of  the 
peltry  belonged  to  Tchatka.     Uo  offered  them  to  a  mer- 


AND  MUtlON ARIES. 


m 


chnnt  for  a  rcjy  «tnnll  q,u»ntity  of  uMcco,  tolling  I.im,  m- 
cr«t  y,  ••timt  ho  wm  in  almoluto  vunt  of  poinon,  wlmtovor  it 
miij:hi  coHt,"  ntul  b.^gii.g  |.i,„  t,,  j,,^,.^„y  ^  ,^^^,^  ^,^^^^^^^^ 

"  w.thout  wl,i..|,.  tl.o  cl.arru  wl,i..|,  «,nroun.l...l  him  nmoug 
hm  pcuplu  wouM  ahan.lo,,  |.i,„  h<.,u.|o«^l>-.»  JIi»  propuHitiori 
MTHH  hc.ar.1  with  ffivat  honor.  If.  only  rocoiv..!  in  r.ply 
««vero  ro|>ic»ontntions  on  tho  has.-n.sH  of  his  ro„.h..;t  nn.l  oa 
hiH  infnmouH  and  fri^rhtful  prooccditM^M.  J{„t  thono  were  in- 
ellcctiial  on  hin  iH-rvcrk..!  h.art,  hanleruul  l>y  aa  ,i«toniMhintf 
nucccHMion  of  unh.unl-of  crirnoH  an.l  atrodtios.  IIo  h-ft  tho 
fort  with  evi.iont  tokens  of  dincoutcMit,  at  having  bcc-n  frus- 
tratoU  in  liis  attempt. 

Diuingtho  two  years  which  succcedod,  Tchatka  Jonductca 
several  war-partien,  nometimos  with  Huecos-s  and  sometimes 
with  roverses.  It  was  per.-eptible  that  \m  years  were  ad- 
vancing;  that  his  n.anitou.s  were  I«ss  faithful  than  formerly; 
that  h.M  pre<iiction8  were  no  hunger  realized  ;  that  those  who' 
criticised  his  arrang.-ments  livod,  notwithstanding.  Several 
even  dartd  to  defy  his  power. 

In  the  spring  of  la38,  I  ho  sinall-pox  (it  was  not  well 
known  how)  was  communicated  to  the  Indian  trihes  in  Upper 
Missouri.     Tho  ravages  of  this  disease  entirely  changed  tlio 
position  which  Tchatka  had  hitherto  held  among  the  In- 
dians.    Tho  fine  camp  of  Tchatka,  composed  of  twelve  hun- 
dred warriors,  was  reduced,  in  this  single  season,  to  eighty 
men  capable  of  bearing  arms.      Other  tribes  experienced 
trials  still  more  severely.     This  scourge  counted  more  than 
10,000  victnns  among  the  Crows  and  the  Jilack-Fcet ;  the 
Minataries  were  reduced  from  one  thousand  to  five  hundred- 
the  Mandans,  the  noblest  among  the  races  in  the  Upper 
Missouri,  counting  six  hundred  warriors  before  tho  epi.lemic. 
were  reduced  to  thirty-two,  others  say  to  nineteen  solely ' 
A  great  number  committed  suicid.,  in  despair ;  some  with 

170 


i 


It 


Ljil 

''il 

m 


hll 


198 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


id 


h^^ 


•      '    ,1 


■■|l 


i,ni.iL,|„ij,^ 


'  ,1  I 


tlicir  lances  and  other  warlike  instruments,  but  the  greater 
part  by  throwing  themselves  from  a  high  rock  which  over- 
looks tiie  Missouri. 

In  the  course  of  the  following  j-ear,  Tchatka  formed  the 
design  of  seizing,  by  stratagem,  the  large  village  of  the  Man- 
dans,*  aM<l  of  taking  all  the  horses  and  effects  which  they 
could  find  in  it. 

The  village  of  the  Mandans  was  then  permanent,  and  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  present  site  of  Fort  Claik.  About 
five  miles  lower  dwelt  the  Arickaras,  new  allies  and  friends  of 
the  Mandans,  who  numbered  about  five  hundred  warriors, 
and  had  escaped  the  contagion,  because  they  were  absent  in 
the  hunting-grounds  when  the  scourge  broke  out. 

Tchatka  was  ignorant  of  the  circumstances  of  the  position 
of  the  Arickaras,  in  respect  to  the  Mandans,  and  had  scarcely 
given  a  thought  to  the  proximity  of  the  two  tribes.  Having 
collected  the  sad  remnant  of  his  warriors,  he  communicated 
15  them  the  design  he  had  formed.  "  We  will  go,"  said  he, 
*'  to  offer  the  calumet  of  peace  to  the  Mandans.  They  will 
accept  it  with  joy," "added  he,  "for  they  are  feeble,  and  have 
the  hope  of  finding  in  us  a  protection  against  the  Sioux,  their 
most  furious  enemies.  As  soon  as  we  are  admitted  in  the 
village,  under  these  appearances  of  friendship,  we  will  scatter 
ourselves  here  and  there  throughout  their  lodges,  then,  by  a 
simultaneous  movement,  we  will  fall,  with  cutlass  and  dag- 

*  I  have  mentioned  the  Mandatis,  nnd  some  of  their  traditions,  in 
eoverul  of  iny  letters.  Tlioir  Iniliaii  nan)e  is  Sce-pohs-ka-nn-nia-ka-kee 
•whioli  signiiios  a  partridge.  Tlio.v  have  a  rcmurkahle  tradition  concern- 
iug  the  dchigc.  On  a  liigh  liill  existitig  in  tiieir  territory,  they  say  that 
the  big  canoe  (tlio  ark)  rested.  Kvery  year,  when  the  willow  biida, 
they  celebrate  tiiis  jCvent  by  grand  fet^tivals  and  noisy  oeremonioa. 
Tlieir  tradition  says  that  the  briuicli  bnnigjit  lv;ek  to  tlio  great  eanoe  by 
the  bird  was  a  willow  braiu-ii,  full  of  h-ives.     Tlic  bird  lliey  ulliido  to 


was  the  dove,  and  it  is  i'oih 


)iui.a 


ii,  iil  tl. 


.V  WUi 


Cvdc,  10  kill  it. 


'«.f 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


199 


fm 


ger,  on  all  that  remain  of  the  Mandans.  They  cannot  escape 
us.  All  that  they  possess  will  belong  to  us."  The  plan  ap- 
peared practicable  to  them.  Desiring  to  do  something 
which  might  ameliorate  their  condition,  the  Assiniboins  ac- 
cepted heartily  the  proposition  of  their  chief. 

The  secret  of  this  expedition  was  confided  to  no  one. 
They  passed  by  Fort  Union,  so  as  to  procure  powder,  as 
well  as  the  balls  necessary,  and  a  few  pounds  of  tobacco, 
"wherewith  to  smoke  peace."     Arrived  in  sight  of  the  vil- 
lage, they  stopped,  and  made  signals  of  friendship  to  the 
Mandans,  requesting  them  to  come  and  join  them.    Tchatka 
placed  himself  on  a   high  hill,  and  beating  his  drum,  ho 
chanted  his  invocations  to  his  manitous.    He  deputed  twelve 
men  of  his  tribe,  bearing  a  little  flag  and  the  calumet  of 
peace,  with  orders  to  smoke  it  when  half  way  between  him 
and  the  village.    Through  good  fortune  for  the  Mandans, 
some  Arickaras,  friends  and  allies,  when  returning  from  the 
chase,  had  stopped  among  them.     Of  all  the  nations  of  the 
Upper  Missouri,  the  Arickaras  are  considered  the  most  de- 
ceitful and  treacherous.     Tchatka,  without  suspecting  it 
found  himself  taken  in  his  own  nets.     He  came  to  over- 
throw the  little  Mandan  tribe,  and  then  return  laden  with 
booty  and  with  scalps.     He  fell  into  the  snare  which  he  had 
spread  for  others,  and  found  himself  at  the  mercy  of  worthy 
competitors. 

After  the  Assiniboin  deputies  had  smoked  the  calumet 
with  the  Mandans,  the  Arickaras  set  forth  with  all  haste  to 
go  and  announce  to  their  chiefs  this  sudden  and  unforeseen 
reconciliation.  The  occasion  was  very  favorable.  Imme- 
diately the  war-whoop  resounded  throughout  the  camp  of 
the  Arickaras.  A  few  moments  sufficed  to  saddle  their 
horses  and  arm  themselves.  They  had  evidently  a  great 
advantage  over  their  adversaries.     Hidden  by  a  headland 


1 


»  si 

I 


it 


m 


200 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


of  the  forest,  in  the  low  valley,  or  bottom  of  the  Missouri 
they  filed  silently,  and  without  being  perceived,  into  the 
village  of  the  Mandans. 

The  ceremony  of  smoking  the  calumet  of  peace  is  ordi- 
narily prolonged  during  several  hours.     First  takes  place  a 
friendly  interchange  of  news,  a  conversation  in  which  each 
party  boasts  liis  lofty  deeds,  or  the  exploits  he  has  achieved 
over  his  enemies,  an  exposition  which  is  intended  to  excite 
the  admiration  of  the  opj.osite  party.     They  then  pass  to 
speeches  in  which  the  points  in  question  are  to  be  discussed. 
it  the  calumet  is  accepted,  and  passes  from  mouth  to  mouth 
the  resolutions  are  ratified  and  peace  is  concluded.        '*       ' 
They  were  at  this  point,  and  were  disposing  themselves  to 
enter  the  village  together,  when  suddenly  the  Arickaras  pre- 
sented themselves  and  shouted  their  war-cry.     At  the  first 
discharge  of  guns  and  arrows,  the  twelve  Assiniboin  deputies 
ost  their  lives.     Their  scalps  were  at  once  taken  off  and 
their  bodies  horribly  mutilated.     It  was  the  aff-air  of  a  mo- 
ment.    About  three  hundied  Arickaras,  shouting  cries  of 
victory,  mingled  with  imprecations,  directed  their  steps  to- 
wards the  hill,  in  order  to  continue  the  massacre  of  the 
Assiniboms.     At  the  first  signal  of  attack,  Tchatka  sprang  to 
his  horse  and  fled.     The  greater  part  of  the  Ass^nibolns, 
being  on  foot,  were  easily  overtaken  by  their  enemies  on 
horseback,  and   soon  fell  under  the  blows   of  the    latter 
Many  among  them,  however,  defended  themselves  like  braves' 
JSTotwithstanding   their  great   inferiority   in    number,   they 
killed   three  Arickaras ;    and,  although  wounded,  were   so 
Happy  as  to  gain  the  forest,  and  escape  the  slauo-hter 

After  the  battle,  the  corpses  of  fifty-three  Assiniboins  re- 
mained stretched  on  the  plain,  a  prey  for  vultures  and  wolves 
W  where  is  their  leader,  the  great  chief  of  the  Assiniboins? 
Where  was  he  during  the  fight  ?     This  famous  Tchatka  this 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


201 


Wah-kon-Tangka,  tliis  Min^youglm,  this  hero' of  tbo  great 
drum  Jiad  bceu  the  first  to  fly  on  his  fleet  horse.  But  the 
Arickaras  had  fresher  animals,  and  pressed  on  in  hot  pursuit. 
As  they  gained  on  him  they  fired  repeatedly,  and  at  last 
kdled  his  horse  beneath  him.  Tchatka  rose  instantly.  The 
forest  is  before  him  ;  if  he  can  reach  it,  there  is  yet  a  shadow 
of  hope.  He  spares  no  cflfort ;  fear  lends  him  wings ;  old  as 
he  is,  he  takes  the  start  and  gains  the  goal  before  his  most 
impetuous  enemies  in  the  pursuit  can  reach  him.  Some  of 
his  own  soldiers,  witnesses  of  this  famous  running-match, 
conferred  on  him  the  name  of  Ta-to-kah-nan,  or  the  wild- 
goat,  the  fleetest  animal  of  our  plains. 

Tchatka  rejoined  his  soldiers  in  the  forest.  Thirty  only 
had  escaped  the  tomahawk  and  scalping- knife  of  the  Arick- 
aras ;  the  greater  number  were  wounded,  and  some  of  them 
mortally.  They  were  the  feeble  remains,  the  last  men  of  a 
band  of  twelve  hundred  warriors.  Tchatka  hung  his  head, 
and  hardly  dared  to  look  at  them.  All  his  nation  had  dis- 
appeared. Two  of  his  sons  fell  in  the  last  combat.  His 
tchant-cheega-kaho,  or  great  drum,  was  in  the  hands  of  his 
enemies ;  his  favorite  horse  killed.  He  had  no  longer  a 
band,  over  whom  he  could  exert  his  influence,  and  accom- 
plish his  execrable  intentions  of  poisoning. 

After  this  defeat,  the  band  of  Tchatka  having  become  too 
reduced  to  form  a  camp,  was  united  to  the  «  Gens  du  nordj' 
or  Northern  people,  as  they  termed  them  ;  that  is,  to  another 
great  branch  of  the  Assiniboins.  From  that  time  Tchatka 
no  longer  mingled  with  public  aff-airs.  However,  he  always 
continued  to  pass  for  a  great  medicine-man,  and  was  some- 
tmies  consulted,  particularly  on  great  and  dangerous  occa- 
sions. He  never  ceased,  until  his  death,  to  inspire  all  who 
approached  him  with  a  certain  respect,  mingled  with  fear 
and  terror. 


Iff 


m 


202 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


M.   ' 


IllS't 


"  As  we  live,  so  we  die,"  saya  the  proverb.  The  end  of 
this  wicked  chief  was  not  less  remarkable  than  his  whole 
life.  What  follows  I  have  from  an  eye-witness.  I  cite  the 
authority  of  Mr.  Denig,  an  intimate  friend,  and  a  man  of 
high  probity,  from  whom  I  have  received  all  the  information 
that  I  have  offered  you  concerning  the  Assiniboins,  and  who 
resided  among  them  during  twenty-two  years. 

In  the  autumn  of  1843,  the  "Northern  People"  repaired 
to  Fort  Union  to  make  exchanges  in  trade  with  their  pejfry. 
The  first  who  presented  himself  at  the  entrance  of  the  fort, 
to  shako  hands  with  M.  Denig,  was  old  Tchatka.  •  «  Brother," 
said  he,  laughing,  "I  came  to  the  fort  to  die  among  the 
whites !"     M.  Denig,  attaching  no  importance  to  these  w6rds, 
the  aged  man  repeated  them  to  him  anew.     "Did  you  un- 
derstand what  I  said  ?     This  is  my  last  visit  to  the  fort.    I 
shall  die  here !"    M.  Denig  then  inquired  concerning  the 
health  of  Tchatka— whether  he  felt  ill.     He  spoke  of^'it  to 
other  Indians,  but  all  assured  him  that  Tchatka  was  in  good 
health  as  usual ;  they  added,  however,  that  before  quitting 
the  village  he  had  predicted  to  them,  "  that  his  last  hour 
was  approaching,  and  that  before  the  next  sunset  his  spirit 
would  be  in  the  region  of  souls."     The  gentlemen  of  the 
fort,  informed  of  this  news,  ordered  Tchatka  to  be  called, 
and   questioned   him    concerning    his   strange  declaration. 
They  also  feared  some  artifice  on  his  part,  and  recalled  the 
tricks,  deceits,  and  cruelties  that  he  had  practiced  on  his 
tribe,  as  well  as  his  black  treason,  and  his  odious  plots 
against  the  occupants  of  the  fort,  in  1831.     He  declared 
positively  to  these  gentlemen  that  he  was  quite  well ;  that 
he  experienced  no  kind  of  indisposition.     He  added :  "  I 
p7-eftt  to  you,  my  hour  is  come— my  manitous  call  me— I 
have  seen  ihem  in  my  dream— I  must  depart !     Yes,  to- 
morrow my  spirit  will  take  flight  into  the  land  of  ghosts  I" 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


203 


In  the  evening  he  took  a  good  supper,  and  slept  peacefully 
after,  while  the  other  Indians  amused  themselves  during  the 
whole  niglit.  On  the  morrow,  Tchatka  presented  himself 
once  more  at  the  olHfie  of  Mr.  Denig,  and  had  a  slight  spit- 
ting of  blood.  They  tried  to  make  him  take  some  remedy, 
but  he  refused,  saying :  "  All  is  useless — henceforth  life  is 
insupportable  to  me — I  will  and  I  must  die — I  have  told 
you  80."  A  little  time  after  he  left  the  fort  with  the  other 
Indians,  and  went  to  the  margin  of  the  river.  He  soon  had 
a  second  attack,  more  violent  than  the  first.  They  placed 
him  on  a  sleigh,  intending  to  transport  him  to  the  Indian 
camp,  but  he  died  on  the  way,  in  the  most  terrible  convul- 
sions. It  was,  according  to  all  appearances,  the  same  "grand 
medicine"  which  he  had  administered  on  a  great  number  of 
occasions  to  his  unfortunate  victims,  during  his  sad  and  long 
administration  as  chief,  that  at  last  terminated  his  own 
career. 

The  lifeless  body  of  this  too  famous  chief  was  carried  in 
great  ceremony  into  the  Indian  village,  twenty-two  miles 
distant  from  the  fort.  The  whole  tribe  assisted  at  his  obse- 
quies. The  corpse,  after  being  painted,  ornamented  with 
their  richest  decorations,  and  wrapped  in  a  scarlet-colored 
blanket  and  a  beautiful  buffalo-robe  embroidered  with  porcu- 
pine* quills,  was  at  last  elevated  and  fastened  between  two 
branches  of  a  large  tree,  amid  the  tears,  cries,  and  lamenta- 
tions of  the  multitude. 

Such  was  the  ascendency  that  his  name  and  deeds  exerted 
over  the  minds  of  the  whole  Assiniboin  tribe,  that  the  place 
where  his  mortal  remains  repose  is  at  the  present  day  an 


*  Eiiporc-epic  is  tho  term  of  the  voyageurs.  The  long  qnilLs  of  tha 
animal  resemble  those  of  a  bird,  aud  are  stripped  olT  by  the  women  in 
threads,  for  embroidering. 


204 


4i  ifflU 


lli'll 


ilfj' 


WESTEBN   MISSIONS 


object  of  the  highest  veneration.     The  Assiniboins  never 
pronounce  the  name  of  Tchatka  but  with  respect.     They 
beheve  that  his  shade  guards  the  sacred  tree;  that  he  h-is 
power  to  procure  them  abundance  of  buffalo   and   other 
Mimals,  or  to  drive  the  animals  from  the  country.     Hence 
whenever  they  pass  they  offer  sacrifices  and  oblations;  they 
present  the  calumet  to  the  tutelaiy  spirits  and  manes  of 
icha  ka.     He  is,  according  to  their  calendar,  the  Wah-kon- 
Tar^g^  par  excellence,  the  greatest  man  or  genius  that  ever 
vi'.ned  their  nation.    The  Assiniboins  never  bury  their  dead. 
Ihey  bmd  the  bodies  with  thongs  of  raw  hide  between  the 
branches  of  large  trees,  and  more  frequently  place  them  on 
scaffolds,  to  protect  them  from  the  wolves  and  other  wild 
animals.     They  are  higher  than  a  man  can  reach.     The  feet 
are  always  turned  to  the  west.    There  they  are  left  to  decay. 
When  the  scaffolds  or  the  trees  to  which  the  dead  are  at- 
tached fall,  through  old  age,  the  relatives  bury  all  the  other 
bones  and  place  the  skulls  in  a  circle  in  the  plain,  with  the 
faces  turned  towards  the  centre.     They  preserve  these  with 
care,  and  consider  them  objects  of  religious  veneration.    You 
will  generally  find  there  several  bison  skulls.     In  the  centre 
Btands  the  medicine-pole,  about  twenty  feet  high,  to  which 
Wah-kons  are  hung,  to  guard  and  protect  the  sacred  de- 
posit.     The  Indians  call   the  cemetery  the  village  of  the 
dead.    They  visit  it  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year,  to  con- 
verse  affectionately  with  their  deceased  relatives  and  friends 
and  always  leave  some  present.  ' 

The  Assiniboins  give  their  name  to  the  Assiniboin  River 
the  great  tributary  of  the  Red  River  of  the  North,  in  the' 
i-nghsh  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  territory.  The  word  As- 
simboin  signiues  stone-cooHnff  people.  This  tribe  had  in 
former  times,  for  want  of  better  utensils,  the  custom  of  boil-  • 
ing  their  meat  in  holes  dug  in  the  ground  and  lined  with 


y 


AND  MI88IONABIE8. 


205 


raw  skins.    The  water  and  tho  meat  were  put  together  in 
these  holes;  then  largo  red-hot  stones  were  cast  in  until  tho 
meat  w^is  boiled.     This  custom  is  no^  almost  obsolete,  since 
they  get  pots  from  tho  whites.     The  original  mode  is  used, 
however,  on  great  occasions  or  modicinc-feasts.     The  Assini- 
bom  language  is  a  dialect  ot  the  Dacotah  or  Sioux.     They 
separated  from  this  great  nation  for  a  trifle-a  quarrel  be- 
tween two  women,  wives  of  the  great  chiefs.     A  buffalo  had 
been  found  by  these  two  women ;  each  of  them  persisted  in 
havmg  tho  whole  lieart  of  the  animal ;    from   words  they 
camo  to  fisticuffs;  and  in  their  rage  they  used  their  nails 
and  teeth.    The  two  great  chiefs  had  the  folly  to  take  part 
>vith  their  better-halves  in  the  quarrel,  and  separated  in  last- 
ing discontent.    From  that  epoch  the  two  tribes  Imve  been 
at  war. 

In  this  last  short  recital,  I  furnish  your  poets  with  materi- 
als for  a  new  Iliad.  The  two  great  chiefs  possessed,  with- 
out  doubt,  names  more  sonorous  than  those  of  Achilles  and 
Agamemnon.    I  leave  you  to  continue  the  similitude. 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


5. 


206 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


Letter  XIV. 

To   THE  Editor  of  tub  Pb4ci8  Uistoriquks,  Brussels. 

Indian  Question. 

University  of  St.  Lonis,  Doc.  80,  1864. 
Reverend  Father; 

The  "  Indian  Question"  has  been  much  agitated  in  the 
United  States  during  the  course  of  this  year.  Two  great 
Territories,  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  well  henceforth  form  a 
portion  of  the  great  Confederation.  They  embrace  all  that 
part  of  the  wilderness  included  between  the  confines  of  the 
State  of  Missouri  and  the  forty-ninth  degree  of  north  lati- 
tude, and  extend  westward  to  the  summit  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains. 

Questions  concerning  the  future  of  the  Indians  have  fre- 
quently been  laid  before  me  by  persons  who  appear  inter- 
ested in  the  destiny  of  these  poor  creatures.  Knowing  the 
aflfection  and  the  interest  which  you,  Reverend  Father,  en- 
tertain for  them,  I  propose  giving  you  my  views  and  appre- 
hensions in  regard  to  them — views  and  apprehensions  which 
I  have  long  entertained.  I  have  already  said  a  few  words 
on  the  subject,  in  a  letter  written  in  1851,  and  inserted  in 
tJie  fortieth  number  of  your  Precis  Historiques.  In  tho 
course  of  that  same  year  I  received  a  letter  from  a  much 
respected  gentleman  in  Paris,  who  requested  me  to  give  him 
some  details  of  the  condition  and  present  state  of  the  Indian 
tribes  of  North  America.    I  will  give  you  in  this  letter  the 


AND  MISSIONAItlGS. 


207 


questions  of  thnt  correspondent,  nnd  my  replies.  I  will  add 
whnt  has  pjissed  since;  above  all,  the  resolutions  taken  and 
the  treaties  conclud<;(l,  from  1851  till  Docember  of  the  year 
1854,  botvvcen  the  American  ^^overnmeiit  and  the  aborigines. 

First  Question.— Do  you  think  that  the  aborigines  west 
of  the  Mississippi  will  bo  exterminated  like  those  east  of  that 
rivier  f  In  other  words,  will  the  rndians  west  of  the  MisBis- 
Bippi  share  the  same  fate  as  their  brethren  east  of  it  ? 

liepl}j.—T\xQ  same  lot  that  the  Indians  east  of  the  Missis- 
Bippi  have  experienced,  will  at  no  distant  day  overtake  thoso 
who  dwell  on  the  west  of  the  same  river.  As  the  white 
population  advances  and  penetrates  into  the  interior,  tho 
aborigines  will  gradually  withdraw.  Already,  even  (in  1851), 
it  is  perceptible  that  the  whites  look  with  a  covetous  eye  on 
the  fertile  lands  of  the  Delawares,  Potawatomies,  Shawnecs, 
and  others  on  our  frontiers,  and  project  the  organization  of  a 
new  Territory — Nebraska.  I  should  not  be  surprised  if,  in  a 
few  years,  negotiations  were  entered  upon  for  tho  purchase 
of  those  lands,  and  the  removal  of  the  Indians,  who  will  bo 
forced  to  retire  further  west.  The  great  openings  oflfered  to 
emigration  by  the  definitive  arrangement  of  the  "Oregon 
Question,"  as  well  as  the  acquisition  of  New  Mexico,  Califor- 
nia, and  Utah,  have  alone,  thus  far,  hindered  any  efforts  for 
extinguishing  the  Indian  titles  or  rights  to  the  lands  situated 
immediately  west  of  the  State  of  Missouri,  and  those  situated 
on  the  south  side  of  the  River  Missouri,  between  the  Rivers 
Kansas  and  Platte,  and  probably  as  high  as  the  Niobrarah  or 
Eau-qui-court. 

Second  Question. — In  case  the  Indians,  having  formed  a 
constitution  for  their  own  government,  should  find  them- 
selves in  the  territory  of  one  of  the  United  States  of  Ameri- 
ca, would  there  not  be  reason  to  fear  that  these  rising  com- 
munities would  be  treated  with  the  same  barbarity  and 


ii  •■  f 


^■Tf 


208 


WKSTKRN    MISSIONS 


injustice  m  wero  the  CIiorokceB,  who,  contrary  to  all  equity, 
were  cloprivc<i  of  their  territory  by  tho  Stato  of  Georgia,  and 
transported  to  the  hinds  of  Upper  ArkimHas  f 

Reply. — I  answer  in  the  ailirnmtivf.  In  a  few  years 
hence  (1861),  treaties  will  probably  bo  concluded  with  those 
tribew  for  "reserves,"  that  is  to  say,  for  portions  of  their 
lands  set  apart  for  their  future  residences.  But,  altiiough 
the  letter  of  the  treaty  guarantees  them  such  "  reserves," 
you  may  rest  assured,  that  as  soon  as  the  necessities  of  a 
thriving  white  population  will  demand  these  lands,  the 
whites  will  find  pretexts  for  dispossessing  the  Indians.  This 
is  accomplished,  either  by  negotiation  or  nominal  purchase, 
or  by  rendering  their  situation  so  painful,  that  they  find  no 
alternative  but  a  transfer  or  emigration. 

Third  and  Fourth  Qtiestion.i. — When  the  Territory  of 
Oregon  is  incorporated  as  one  of  the  States  of  the  Union, 
could  not  the  missionaries  of  that  region  organize  the  con- 
verted tribes  into  districts  and  distinct  counties,  peopled 
with  American  citizens  of  Indian  origin  ?  Then  the  proper- 
ty of  the  Indians  would  become  inviolable,  and  the  mission- 
aries would  have  time  to  persuade  them  to  abandon  their 
wandering,  hunter  life,  and  embrace  the  pastoral ;  after  a 
time  tliey  would  cultivate  the  soil,  without  being  disturbed 
oy  the  pretensions  of  the  whites. 

Reply. — When  Oregon  takes  her  place  as  a  State  in  the 
Union,  she  will  follow  the  same  policy  that  has  been  hither- 
to followed  by  the  other  States ;  that  is,  she  will  subject  all 
the  inhabitants  to  her  jurisdiction  and  laws.  The  policy  of 
the  United  States  has  ever  been  to  remove  the  Indians  from 
each  new  State  as  soon  as  it  is  admitted  as  a  part  of  the 
Confederation ;  and  in  case  portions  of  the  tribes  remain  on 
their  lands,  as  was  the  case  in  the  States  of  New  York,  In- 
diana, Michigan,  and  Ohio,  the  situation  of  the  Indians  is 


y 


AND   MI88I()NAUrr,8. 


200 


extromoly  dignjjfrccablo,  their  progrew  very  slow.  Comparing 
thomHclvcH  witli  tlio  whites  who  siiriuiuul  thorn,  aimI  whom 
they  8(!o,  ordimirily,  so  oiilcrprisinjjf  ati.l  industrious,  tlu-y 
geiuuiiliy  exporii-nco  u  fi(Mitiiii«'iit  of  iiili-iioiity,  which  over- 
whiihiis  and  diMcourngoH  thcni.  'J'ho  Stockhridj^os  (Moho- 
guns),  who  oiijoyt'd,  for  ncvoral  yours,  all  tho  ri;;ht8  of 
citizoMM  in  tho  Stuto  of  WisconHin,  pytitione.l  tho  uulhoritien 
to  relievo  thom  iVom  thoir  ohli{j;utions  a»  such,  und  oarnostly 
Bolicitod  tho  govorninent  to  grunt  them  an  al»o<lo,  either  in 
Alinnesotu  or  west  of  Mi.s8<niri.  Even  those  who  livo  in  tho 
"reserves,"  fino  stictions  of  Ijuid  grunted  und  secured  by 
Bpoeiul  tieuties,  in  Illinois,  iMichigun,  Indiunii,  und  Ohio,  find- 
ing themselves  stningors  on  thoir  native  soil,  sold  ull  thoy 
had,  und  rejoined  their  tribes  in  tho  West.  Tlio  neighbor- 
hood of  tho  whites  hud  bocomo  intolerublo  to  them.  When 
tho  lands  of  tho  Indians  couso  to  be  vuluublo,  and  tho  whites 
will  and  can  do  without  them,  then  only  will  tho  Indians 
enjoy  tho  privilege  of  redlining  them. 

Fifth  Question. — Tho  following  is  an  extract  from  a  hiw 
of  tho  27th  of  September,  1850:  "It  is  grunted  to  each 
inhabitant,  or  occupant  of  public  hind,  including  herein  tho 
half-breeda  above  eighteen  yours  of  ago,  citizens  of  tho  United 
States,  or  having  made  a  declaration  of  intention  to  becomo 
citizens,  or  who  siiull  make  such  doclurution  either  before  the 
Ist  of  December,  1851,"  &c.  llemark  that  this  law  proves 
two  things:  first,  that  1  hero  are  half-breeds  in  Oregon;  sec- 
ond, that  the  half-breeds  have  the  rights  of  white  citizens. 
Do  you  not  think  that  at  some  future  day,  say  in  tho  course 
of  a  century,  Oregon  will  be  peopled  solely  by  a  heteroge- 
neous race,  with  striking  traits  of  a  mixed  race  of  Indian 
and  -white  blood,  and  a  remnant  of  the  Jlborigines  in  tho 
defiles  or  valleys  of  the  mountains,  like  the  Celts  of  Scotland 
and  the  Araucauians  of  Chili  ?    Then  Oregon  would  enter 

1K^'= 


!l 


pi 
i 


■■aKfea 


SIO 


WKfiTKIlN   MWfilONi 


i\   J 


n  tho  cntoprory  of  all  tho  SpnnUh  Rtnto-  of  So.ith  Amflrlois 
In  which  tho  rcl  inor.,  fur  from  Imufr  oxtorrninftto.l,  huve,  on 
tho  contrary,  uhcU  cllorU  to  lUwimilHto  then»iwlv«»  to  (ho 
whitoR. 

Rfply.^l  nriHwor  to  thin  last  quontion,  that  in  caw  tho 
iniMM.onaries  «liouia  colloct  tho  half-brucvU  with  tho  rr,n,t 
ilo.rilo  IiMlian«,  in  tJintrietH  or  counties,  un.lcr  th!  t«iritoriul 
law  of  ( )r(.jr„n,  an.l  jrjvo  fhc  y«„ih  an  chication,  boM.  t.AWxom 
an.l  aj^n..ult,nal,  th.,  r.Hult  wo,.i.I  bo  a  grtaf^r  mingling  of 
mhuu  an.l  whit.,  l.loo.l,  ,„..!  th.is  tho  fulnrc  popuhttion  of 
Oregon  won  111  bo  in  Hortu!  inaiiri.-r  h.-torogoncous. 

Tho  future  prospect  of  tho  In.jian  triUm  is  very  daik  and 
niohincholy.     I'jacod,  as  thoy  are,  un.ler  tho  juiiH,ii..,tion  of 
tho  Unitorl  StatoH,  surrounded  on  every  si.Io  by  whites  their 
rmn  appears  certain.     These  savages  disappear  insensibly  as 
tho  emigrations  of  tho  whites  succeed  each  other  and  ad- 
vance.    In  fifty  years  there  will  bo  few  traces  of  the  native 
races  in  tho  western  portion  of  this  homispliero.     Where 
are  those  powerful  tiib.'s  wlm.h,  at  tho  commencement  of 
this  age,  dwelt  in  tho  extonsivo  and  beautiful  region    now 
divided  among  tho  States  of  the  West?     Remnants  only 
exist  on  our  western  frontiers.     In  our  own  day  tho  same 
causes  are  in  full  play,  ami  produce  tho  same  cfFects.     And 
for  tho  last  four  years,  the  great  tide  of  Kuiopean  emirrra- 
tion  but  makes  tho  effect  more  certain.     Those  emigratFons 
multiply  more  and  moro  in  tho  present  dav,  and  succeed 
like  tho  waves  of  ocean.     Vlu-y  nuist  find  room;  that  room 
13  the  West. 

Such  are  the  rosponsca  Wiuoh  1  gave  in  1851  to  M.  D . 

In  the  space  of  three  years,  what  was  simply  an  opinion  has* 
become  a  fact.  My  answer  to  the  second  question  has  been 
Iifp'ally  verilied. 

tho  course  of  this  year,  185-1,  treaties  were  concluded 


AHD  MITOIONARnC^ 


m 


with  tho  OmaluiM,  tho  Ottoc,  aikI  MiMourls,  the  Sari,  th« 
l-oxoi  of  Mi«...uri,  the  lowns.  thn  Kion,»oo«,  tho  Shawnow, 
ami  tho  I)dawar««,  a.  w.ll  as  wuh  tho  Mianm,  tho  Wca«, 
the  I  ,ar,ko«haw«,  tl..  K,u,ka.kia«,  and  tho  I'ooria-.  By 
them,  tn.ati..K,  th.^o  diff.ront  tril...  ,mh1o  to  tho  United  State, 
tho  moHt  ..xt..,..dvo  a.Kl  n..,.t  adva.itaffoons  portion*  of  tholr 
ixyrt-vo  (.rritoric,  and  retain,  m  wo  have  alroa.ly  Raid,  but 
a  Iimitod  and  circumHcribed  denu-sno,  termed  a  "  rosorvc " 
for  tho  wantH  of  each  particular  tribe,  and  intended  a*  their 
luturo  re»idenco. 

Wo  remark  daily  in  tho  nowHpapor«.  that  groat  numbers 
of  onn^rantH  aro  ^j.rea.linj.  «lrea.ly  over  tho  territories  ceded ; 
yot  tho  cotiditioUH  precedent  of  tho  treaties  between  tho  gov- 
crnmcnt  an.l  many  of  tho  tribes,  expressly  forbid  tho  widte. 
to  scttlo  there  bof..ro  tho  survey  and  sale  of  tho  hinds  to  tho 
profit  of  tho  Indians.  Notwithstat.ding  these  conditions, 
ho  whites  sottlo  there,  and  oven  defy  tho  authorities  to  do- 
tor  thoin. 

Tho  now  organization  of  tho  Territories  x)f  Kansas  and  No- 
braska  abrogates  the  protecting  "intercourse  hiws."    There- 
by  It  has  overthrown  tho  feeblo  barrier  which  opposed  the 
introduction  of  intoxicating  H.^uors,  which  tho  inhabiUints 
80  expressively  define  by  tho  term  "Indian  flre-water."     In 
a  few  short  years  those  littlo  "  resorvos,"  or  Indian  settle- 
nients,  will  bo   surrounded   by  a  white   population  ;  these 
vvhites,  being  for  tho  most  part  vicious  and  corrupt,  will 
introduce  and  furnish  liquors  in  abundance,  in  order  to  sat- 
isfy  tho  depraved  tasto  of  tho  Indian.     In  all  this  tho  solo 
object  IS  to  deprive  those  unfortunate  men  of  all  that  remains 
to  them  in  land  and  money.     In  this  position  of  affairs,  I 
cannot  conceive  how  tho  Indians  can  bo  protected  against 
the  dangerous    influences  which    will   inevitably  surround 
tliem  on  all  sides.    Ere  long  (perhaps  bv  tho  clos«  of  i  Rna\ 


If 


212. 


Ui 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


tho  dologates  of  tl.c  Territory  of  Kansas  will  knock  at  tho 
door  of  Congress  for  admittance  into  the  Union.     If  this 
request  be  granted,  we  inay  at  once  bid  farewell  to  the 
independence  of  the  Indians  and  the  maintenance  of  their 
"reserves."     The  new  State  will  directly  establish  her  juris- 
diction  over  all   the  inhabitants   found  within  her  limits. 
Although  the  Indians  appear  to  be  necessarily  protected  by 
the  general  stipulations  accorded  on  the  part  of  the  govcrn- 
ment  itself,  constant  experience  demonstrates  that  they  can- 
not exist  within  tho  limits  of  a  State,  unless  they  becomo 
citizens  thereof.     Witness  the  Creeks  and  Cherokees  in  the 
State  of  Georgia,  who  at  one  time  were  on  the  point  of 
bringing  the  General  Government  and  the  State  into  conflict. 
In  several  of  the  late  treaties  that  I  have  mentioned,  the' 
Indians  have  renounced  their  permanent  annuities,  and,  in 
excliange,  Iiave  consented  to  accept  considerable  sums  for  a 
limited   number   of  years,   and   payments   at   fixed   terms. 
However  liberal  be  the  annuity,  the  Indian  never  lays  any 
thing  aside  for  his  future  necessities ;  this  is  his  character. 
He  lives  from  day  to  day.    All  is  expended  in  the  course  of 
the  year  in  which  the  payment  is  made.    Let  us  suppose, 
therefore,  that  the  amount  of  the  last  payment  has  been 
poured  forth,  what  will  consequently  become  of  tliose  poor 
tribes  ?     Here,  it  appears  to  me,  is  the  solution  of  the  prob- 
lem :  they  must  either  pevish  miserably,  or  sell  their  re- 
serves,  or  go  and  rejoin  the  wandering  bands  of  the  plains, 
or  cultivate  the  soil.     But,  observe  well,  they  are  surrounded 
by  whites  who  contemn  them,  hate  them,  and  who  will  de- 
.  moralize  them  in  a  very  short  time.     If  it  be  asked,  to  what 
must  be  attributed  the  improvidence  of  the  tribes,  which 
neglect  to  exhange  their  permanent  annuities  for  sums  to  be 
paid  at  limited  terms,  but  of  greater  length  ?     The  reason  is 
found  in  the  disparity  of  the  parties  who  make  the  treaty.     ^ 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


213 


On  one  side  stands  a  shrewd  and,  porhaps,  unscrupulous  o-ov- 
ernnient  officer ;  on  the  other,  a  few  ignorant  chiefs,  accom- 
panied by  their  half-breed  interpreters,  whose  integrity  is  fur 
from  being  proverbial. 

Adding  to  these  facts  the  ravages  caused  every  year  by 
the  small-pox,  the  measles,  the  cholera,  and  other  maladies, 
as  well  as  their  incessant  wars  and  divisions,  I  think  I  may 
repeat  the  melancholy  foresight,  that,  in  a  few  years,  there 
will  remain  but  very  feeble  vestiges  of  those  tribes  in  tho 
reserves  guaranteed  to  them  by  the  late  treaties.  At  this 
moment  the  agents  continue  to  make  new  treaties,  by  which 
tho  government  proposes  to  purchase  the  lands  of  the  Osages, 
Potawatomies,  and  several  other  tribes. 

Since  tho  discovery  of  America  the  system  of  removing 
and  of  exiling  the  Indians  further  inland  or  in  the  interior, 
has  been  assiduously  exercised  by  the  whites  in  this  portion 
of  the  continent.  In  the  early  times,  they  went  by  slow  de- 
grees ;  but  as  the  European  colonies  multiplied  and  increased 
in  power,  the  system  has  been  pushed  with  more  vigor.  At 
present,  this  same  policy  marches  with  gigantic  steps.  Re- 
sistance on  the  part  of  the  natives  but  hastened  their  ruin. 
The  diama  of  population  reaches  its  last  scene  at  the  east 
and  west  bases  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  a  few  years  the 
curtain  will  fall  over  the  Indian  tribes  and  veil  them  forever. 
They  will  live  only  in  history.  The  whites  continue  to 
spread  like  a  torrent  over  California,  over  Washington,  Utah, 
and  Oregon ;  over  the  States  of  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Iowa, 
Texas,  and  New  Mexico  ;  and  lastly,  over  Kanzas  and  Ne- 
braska.* 


*  On  the  1st  of  August,  185<l,  in  the  Territories  of  Kanzas  and  Nc- 
braslia,  thoiQ  was  not  a  town  or  vilhige  of  whites.  On  tlie  30th  of 
December,  of  the  same  year,  tliirty  or  forty  sites  had  been  clioseu  for 
building  vj'Jages  and  towns  without  dehiy.    Labor  was  begun  at  many 


'.  !l 


li' 


f 


'¥  ♦ 


214 


WESTEEN   MISSIONS 


Within  a  recent  period,  and  since  I  have  resided  in 
America,  ail  these  States  and  tlicse  Territories  were  still  the 
exclusive  domain  of  the  Indians.  As  the  whites  settle  and 
multiply  in  them,  the  Indians  disappear,  and  seem  to  die  out. 
The  immense  regions  that  I  have  just  named  include  several 
millions  of  square  miles. 

Father  Felix  Martin  wrote  me  recently  from  Canada: 
"  The  Indian  Missions  are  reduced  almost  to  nothing.  They 
follow  in  the  train  of  those  sad  tribes  which  are  no  more 
whjit  they  once  were.  It  is  like  a  body  which  gradually 
sinks  in  itself.  It  is  losing  its  grandeur,  its  force,  its  primi- 
tive forms.  They  have  lost  the  character  of  nations ;  they 
are  individualities,  with  some  ancient  traditions,  and  even 
these  traces  are  gradually  becoming  effaced." 

If  the  poor  and  unfortunate  inhabitants  of  the  Indian  Ter- 
itory  were  treated  with  more  justice  and  good  faith,  they 
■would  cause  little  trouble.  They  complain,  and  doubtless, 
justly,  of  the  dishonesty  of  the  whites.  These  banish  them 
from  their  native  soil,  from  the  tombs  of  their  fathers,  to 
which  they  are  devotedly  attached,  and  from  their  ancient 
hunting  and  fishing  grounds :  they  must  consequently  seek 
what  is  wrested  from  them,  and  build  their  cabins  in  another 
and  a  strange  clime.  But  they  are  scarcely  at  ease  in  their 
new  abode  when  they  are  removed  a  second  and  third  time. 
"With  each  successive  emigration,  they  find  their  grounds  re- 
stricted, their  hunts  and  fishing-places  less  abundant.  Yet, 
in  all  the  treaties,  the  agents  promise  them,  on  the  part  of 
the  President,  whom  they  call  their  Great  Father,  protection 
and  privileges  that  are  never  realized.  Is  it,  therefore,  aston- 
ishing that  the  savages  give  the  whites  the  name  of  forked- 

I)0int3;  houses  are  building,  farma  laid  out.    All  is  life  and  activity  in 
these  virgin  territories. 


AND   MI88IONAEIES. 


215 


tongues,  or  liars?     They  say  tliat  the  whites  "march  ia 
wmding  tracks  to  attaiu  their  objects;"  that  their  declara- 
tions of  friendship,  all  beautiful  and  favorable  as  they  appear 
"  never  entered  their  hearts,"  and  pass,  ever  with  the  same 
facility  "from  the  end  of  the  tongue;"  that  they  approach 
the  Indian,  «a  smile  on  their  lips,"  take  him  by  the  hand, 
to  deceive  him  more  easily,  inebriate  him,  and  corrupt  his 
children.     "Like  serpents,"  said  Black-Hawk,  in  his  famous 
speech,"  they  have  glided  in  among  us;  they  have  takea 
possession  of  our  hearth-stones.    The  opossum  and  the  deer 
have  disappeared  at  their  approach.     We  are  overwhelmed 
^ith  misery.     The  very  contact  of  the  whites  has   poi- 
soned  us."  *^ 

These  complaints  and  lamentations  have  been  a  thousand 
times  repeated,  in  vain,  in  the  speeches  of  the  Indian  orators, 
when  the  agents  of  the  United  States  government  endeavor 
to  make  propositions  for  the  purchase  of  their  lands.     A 
feeble  ray  of  hope  for  the  preservation  of  a  great  number  of 
Indians  ,s  left,  if  the  law  proposed  by  Senator  Jolnison  is 
adopted  in  sincerity  on  both  sides,  by  the  government  and 
by  the_  Indians.     Mr.  Johnson  proposes  to  establish  three 
territorial  governments  in  the  Indian  Territory  inhabited  by 
the  Choctaws,  Creeks.  Cherokees,  the  Chickasaws,  and  other 
tnbes  with  the  provision  of  being  admitted  later  as  distinct 
members  of  the  Confederated  United  States.     On  the  25th 
of  last  November,  Harkins,  chief  among  the  Choctaws,  ad- 
dressed  a  speech  on  this  subject  to  his  nation,  assembled  in 
council.    Among  other  things,  he  said  to  them  :    « I  appeal 
to  you,  what  will  become  of  us  if  we  reject  the  proposition  of 
Senator  Johnson  ?     Can  we  hope  to  remain  a  people,  always 
separate  and  distinct  ?    This  is  not  possible.     The  time  must 
come ;  yes,  the  time  is  approaching,  in  which  we  shall  be 
swallowed  up;  and  that,  notwithstanding  our  just  claims! 


■  I L 


■11 


210 


"WliSTKUN   MI8SION8 


I  Hpeak  boldly.  Tt  Ih  n.  fact ;  our  days  oC  penco  nnd  happi- 
ness are  gorio,  and  forever.  No  oppoHitioii,  on  our  part,  can 
fviif  arrcHt  the  iiiareh  of  the  United  StaUiH  towards  grandeur 
and  power,  nor  hinder  the  cntiro  ocuupation  of  the  vast 
American  continent.  We  have  no  power  nor  influence  over 
the  most  minute  project  of  this  government.  It  looks  upoa 
and  considers  us  in  the  light  of  little  children,  as  pupils 
under  its  tutelage  and  protection  ;  it  does  with  us  as  seems 
to  it  good.  Can  the  Choctaws  change  the  face  of  things  ? 
If  the  desire  of  life  is  not  extinct  in  our  hearts ;  if  wo  will 
preserve  among  us  the  rights  of  a  people,  one  solo  means  re- 
mains to  us :  it  is  to  instruct  and  civilize  the  youth,  promptly 
and  efficaciously.  The  day  of  fi'aternity  has  arrived.  We 
must  act  together,  and  by  common  consent.  Let  us  atten- 
tively consider  our  critical  situation,  and  the  course  now  left 
us.  One  false  step  may  prove  fatal  to  our  existence  as  a 
nation.  I  therefore  propose  that  the  council  take  this  sub- 
ject into  consideration,  and  that  a  committee  be  named  by 
it  to  discuss  and  deliberate  on  the  advantages  and  disadvan-' 
tages  of  the  proj)osition  made  to  the  Choctaws.  Is  it  just 
and  saffo  for  the  Choctaws  to  refuse  a  liberal  and  favorable 
oftcr,  and  expose  themselves  to  the  destiny  of  the  Indians  of 
Nebraska  ?" 

According  to  news  received  recently,  through  a  journal 
published  in  the  Indian  country,  the  speech  of  the  chief  has 
produced  a  profound  impression,  and  was  loudly  applauded 
by  all  the  counsellors.  All  the  intelligent  Choctaws  approve 
the  measure.  The  Protestant  missionaries  oppose  the  bill, 
and  employ  all  their  artifices  and  influence  to  prevent  its 
success.  Harkins  proposes  their  expulsion.  "  It  k  our 
money,"  said  he,  "that  these  mercenaries  come  here  to  get. 
Surely,  our  money  can  get  us  better  teachers.  Let  us, 
therefore,  try  to  procure  good  missionaries,  with  whom  we 


AND  AIISSIONABl^. 


217 


can  live  in  harmony  and  good  undoPBtanding;  who  will  give 
UH  the  aHsuruncc  that  thdr  doctrine  is  based  on  that  of  the 
apostles  und  of  Johus  Christ." 

The  Chickasaws  are  represented  as  opposed  to  Senator 
Johnsons  measure.  We  trust,  however,  tiiat  the  vote  of 
the  majonty  will  prove  favorable,  and  that  the  three  tern- 
torml  States  will  be  established.  It  is,  in  my  opinion,  a  last 
a  tempt  and  a  last  chanee  of  existence  for  the  sad  rcmnanta 
ot  the  poor  Indians  of  America. 

It  is,  I  will  say,  if  I  may  hero  repeat  what  I  wrote  in  mv 
second  letter  in  1853,  their  only  remaining  source  of  happi- 
ness :  humanity  and  justice  seem  to  demand  it.  If  they  are 
again  repulsed,  and  driven  inland,  they  will  infallibly  perish 
feuch  as  refuse  to  submit,  and  jccept  the  definitive  arrange- 
ment the  only  favorable  one  left,  must  resume  the  nomade 
lite  of  the  praries,  and  close  their  career  with  the  vanisbinff 
buffaloes  and  other  animals. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  Rev.  Father, 

Your  very  humble  and  devoted 
Servant  and  brother  in  Christ, 

P.  J.  Be  Smet,  S.  J. 
19 


us. 


918 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


till 


Letter  XV. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  PRfecis  Historiques,  Brussels; 
Watomika  and  the  Delawarea. 

CrNoiNNATi,  C0LLE6B  01  St.  Xavieb,  March  15, 1855. 

Ebt.  and  very  dear  Father  : 

I  am  sure  you  will  be  gratified  to  make  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Watomika,  the  swi^t-footed,  or  celeripes.  He  is  the 
son  of  a  renowned  warrior,  chief  of  the  nation  of  the  Dela- 
wares,  or  Lenni-Lenapi,  who  formed  one  of  the  most  pow- 
erful Indian  nations  at  the  epoch  of  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent  by  Christopher  Columbus.  Later,  I 
will  speak  to  you  of  his  early  years;  at  present^  I  will  inform 
you  of  the  particulars  attending  his  conversion  to  the  true 
Faith. 

Watomika  received  his  education  in  a  Calvinistic  or  Pres- 
byterian college.  He  adopted  the  tenets  of  that  sect  in  good 
faith.  Naturally  inclined  to  piety,  he  passed,  daily,  whole 
hours  in  the  meditation  and  contemplation  of  heavenly  things. 
He  fasted  regularly  one  day  in  the  week,  taking  no  nourish- 
ment until  sunset.  This  kind  of  life  was  not  relished  by  the 
disciples  of  Calvin,  and  Watomika  frequently  found  himself 
the  sport  and  butt  of  his  youthful  schoolmates. 

After  concluding  his  course  of  study,  he  resolved  to  be- 
come a  minister.  He  prepared  himself  for  this  step  with 
great  assiduity ;  prayed  more,  and  faslod  more  frequently. 
In  proportion  as  he  sought  to  understand  and  penetrate 


AND  MISSIONAEIES. 


219 


point  by  point  the  doctrines  of  Calvin,  there  arose  in  his 
Boul,  doubt  upon  doubt,  at  the  same  tiuio  that  he  experi- 
enced a  great  interior  conin.otion,  wliich  neither  liis  pmyers 
nor  his  fasts  could  allay.     Frequently,  in  all  the  sincerity  of 
his  soul  he  entreated  the  Lord  to  enlighten  his  mind  by 
heavenly  truths,  and  grant  liim  grace  to  understand  them, 
■lie  petitioned  fervently,  he  knocked  at  the  door  courageous- 
ly,  and,  like  the  widow  in  the  Gospel,  sought  the  lost  treas- 
ure perseveringly.     The  ways  of  God  are  wonderful,  and  his 
aid   IS  never  invoked  in  vain.      Watomika  was  sent  as  a 
preacher  to  St.  Louis,  to  replace  an  absent  brother  in  one  of 
the  houses  of  worship  of  his  sect.     One  day,  he  was  walking, 
out  to  breathe  the  fresh  air,  and  Providence  condticted  him 
into  the  street  in  which  our  church  stands,  and  that  at  Uio 
moment,  when  the  children  were  Hocking  in  to  catechism. 
He  knew  the  word  Catholic  only  by  having  heard  it  asso- 
ciated  with  the   most   absurd   and   inconsistent  doctrines, 
v^hich  the  sectaries  insinuate  with  so  much  malice,  audacity 
and  presumption,  not  only  in  their  school-books,  their  Head- 
ers and  Spellers,  their  works  on  Geography  and  History, 
but  which  they  adroitly  introduce  into  their  prayer-books 
and  works  of  piety.     Watomika,  therefore,  only  knew  the 
Catholics  through  the  prisms  of  falsehood  and  calumny 
Attracted  either  by  curiosity  or  by  novelty,  he  entered  the 
church  with  the  children.    A  certain  sentiment  of  respect 
seized  hmi ;  he  found  it  inexplicable.     The  altar,  the  cross 
the  nnages  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  of  the  Saints,  emblems 
ol  taitli,  all  spoke  strongly  to  his  eyes.     The  Holy  of  Holies 
who  dwells  in  his  tabernacle,  and  of  whose  real  presence  he' 
was  Ignorant,  secretly  touched  his  heart  and  inspired  him 
with  respect  for  his  temple.     He  followed  the  catechetical 
mstnictions  of  the  children  with  the  greatest  interest  and 
liveliest  attention.     The  instruction  of  Father  D had 


1  ,5 


:t  * 


220 


WESTKim    MISSIONS 


reference  to  several  points,  concerning  wliich  lie  had  loiyg 
and  sincerely  desiicd  to  bo  enlightened.  He  returned  homo, 
.  deh'ghted  und  HstoniHii('<l  at  liuving  found  in  a  Catholic 
church  a  portion  of  the  treasure  tliat  ho  had  ro  long  hitherto 
sought  in  vain.  JIo  afterwards  had  tlie  courage  to  overcome 
his  prejudices  and  repugnances,  and  iiavo  recourse  to  a 
priest— nay,  to  a  Jesuit.  lie  proposed  to  tliis  religious,  ail 
his  doubts,  peri)lexitie8,  and  anxieties.  In  short,  Watomika, 
a  child  of  the  forest,  a  worthy  descendant  of  a  powerful 
American  race,  abjuretl  his  errors,  embraced  our  holy  reli- 
gion, and,  some  time  after,  enrolled  himself  among  the  fol- 
lowers of  St.  Ignatius,  llis  scholasticate  is  nearly  ended,  at 
the  moment  in  which  I  write  tlieso  lines;  Watomika  will 
soon  receive  Holy  Orders,  to  which  he  aspires  with  a  devout 
ardor.  Tins  is  suflicient  on  my  part  concerning  Light-foot; 
let  us  now  hear  his  own  exposition  of  the  religious  ideas 
traditions,  manners,  and  customs  of  his  tribe. 

The  name  Delawares,  that  the  Indians  of  his  nation  bear 
was  given  them  by  the  whites.  It  is  derived  from  Lord 
Delaware,  one  of  the  early  English  colonial  governors  in 
America.  Among  themselves  those  people  are  called  Lenni- 
Lenapi,  or  "the  primitive  nation."  They  resided  anciently 
in  a  great  country  west  of  the  Mississippi.  With  the  "Five 
Nations,"  so  renowned  in  the  Indian  history  of  this  continent 
they  seized  and  occupied  a  lai'ge  territory  southeast  of  their 
ancient  domain.  In  the  course  of  this  long  migration,  the 
Delawares  divided  into  three  great  tribes,  called  the  "Tor- 
toise tribe,"  the  "  Turkey  tribe,"  and  the  "  Wolf  tribe."  In 
the  time  of  William  Penn,  they  occupied  the  whole  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  extended  from  the  Potomac  to  the  Hudson. 
As  the  white  population  began  to  increase,  streiigthcn,  and 
extend  over  these  vast  territories,  the  Delawares  (like  all  the 
other  tribes)  found  it  necessary  to  plunge  deeper  into  the 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


221 


forcstH,  nnd  yield  to  tlioir  conquerors  or  usnrporB.     Wliilo  a 
grout  purt  of  tlio  nation  establiHJied  tiieriisdves  on  tho  Ohio, 
on  tho  margin  of  tho  Mu,skini,Mnn,  others  roguinod  tho  shores 
and  tho  forc-Hts  of  tiio  MiHHissii.i.i,  whence,  according  to  thoir 
traditions,  thoir  ancestors  had  sot  forth.     When  cohniios  of 
Europeans  came  to  take  possession  of  that  largo  and  hand- 
80.no  riv(  r,  which  the  celebrated  Father  Manpietto  first  dis- 
covered,  a!ul  gave  tho  now  consoling  and  sublime  name  of 
the  Iminaculato  Conception,  they  repulsed  once  more  tho 
Uclawarcs,  and  Covornment  grante.l  these  Indians  a  little 
territory  southwest  of  Fort  Leavenworth,  on  the  Missouri. 
In  the  course  of  the  year  that  has  just  closed  (1854),  tho 
Dolawares  have  coded  to  the  United  States  this  last  foothold. 
These  Indians  had  received  from  the  I'resident  of  the 
United  States,  whom  they  call  their  Great  Father,  tho  most 
formal  assurances  that  their  rights  should  be  respected,  and 
that  ho  would  see  that  all  tho  conditions  of  the  treaty  were 
faithfully  execute.!,  viz.,  that  the  lands  should  be  sold  to  tho 
highest  bidder,  and  exclusively  to  the  profit  of  tho  nation. 
It  was,  therefore,  very  astonishing  to  the  iJelawares,  imme- 
diately after  the  conclusion  of  the  treaty,  to  find  themselves 
invested  on  every  side  by  the  whites,  who,  disregarding  tho 
clauses  of  the  treaty,  seize  all  tho  sites  favorable  for  towns 
cities,  villages,  farms,  and  mill-seats,  and  declare  that  they 
will  only  pay  a  dollar  and  a  quarter  per  acre !     Will  the 
Government  yield  to  this  ? 

The  Dolawares,  or  Lenni-Lenapi,  believe  that  the  Great 
Spirit  first  created  the  land  and  water,  trees  and  plants,  birds 
and  fishes,  animals  and  insects ;  in  tho  last  place,  he  created 
the  first  Lcnap  or  Delaware.  Uo  placed  a  snail  on  the  shore 
Vf  a  beautiful  and  large  river,  which  took  its  source  in  a  dis- 
tant mountain,  near  the  rising  of  the  sun.  After  twelve 
moons,  tlie  snail  produced  a  red-skinned  man.     Tlie  latter 

19»  ^  * 


I 

PI 


■i    f> 


li  » 


222 


WKSTKRN    MISSIONS 


\Wr 


discontented  with  hin  Rolitnry  lot,  tnmlo  a  bnrk 


cjinoo,  and 

<k'BCt*n«ltHl  tlio  rivur,  in  Huiinh  ot'Norifty.  On  tlio  tliird  <lay 
ut  simm't,  ho  mot  a  hcnvcr,  which  uddrcHsed  him  the  follow- 
\ng  quostioim:  "Who  art  thou?  whence  conicrtt  thouf 
whither  Hrt  thou  going?"  Tho  num  anHwerod  :  ''Tlio  (heat 
Spirit  is  my  father.  He  gavo  mo  all  tho  oarth,  with  its  riv- 
CTH  and  its  hikes,  wiih  nil  tho  animals  which  roam  over  the 
plains  and  forests,  tho  birds  whieh  fly  in  tho  air,  and  tho 
llsliea  that  swim  in  tho  sea."  Tho  beaveT,  surprised  and  ir- 
ritated by  so  much  audacity  and  prcaumj)tion,  imposeil  si- 
lence on  him,  and  commandecl  iiini  to  <juit  his  domain  with- 
out delay.  An  animated  an<l  noisy  (juarrel  took  placo  b^r 
tweou  tho  man  an*l  the  beaver,  who  defended  his  liberty 
and  rights.  Tho  beaver's  only  daughter,  frightened  at  tho 
noise,  quitted  her  abode  and  placed  herself  between  tho  maa 
and  her  father  (ready  to  tear  each  other  in  pieces),  entreat- 
ing them,  by  tho  mildest  and  most  conciliating  words  to 
ceaso  their  dispute. 

As  tho  snow  melts  at  tlie  approach  of  the  sun's  benignant 
rays,  as  tho  turbulent  waters  of  cascades  and  waterfalls  run 
on  then  peaceably  and  clear,  as  calm  succeeds  to  tempest, 
80,  to  the  voice  of  the  young  child,  tho  anger  of  the  stratiger 
and  the  wrath  of  his  adversary  gave  place  to  a  profound  and 
eternal  friendship ;  they  embraced  affectionately.  To  render 
the  union  more  durable  and  more  intimate,  tho  man  asked 
tho  beaver's  daughter  for  a  comi)anion.  After  a  moment's 
reflection,  the  latter  presented  her  to  him,  sayino-;  "It  is 
the  decree  of  tho  Great  Spirit,  I  cannot  oppose  it;  take  my 
daughter,  cheiish  and  protect  her.  Go  in  peace!"  The 
man,  with  his  wife,  contitiued  his  voyage  to  the  mouth  of  tho 
river.  There,  at  the  etitrance  of  a  meadow  enamelled  with 
flowers  and  surrounded  with  fiuit-trees  of  all  kiiitls,  in  the 
midst  of  animals  and  birds  of  every  kind,  ho  chose  his  abodo 


AND  MI88IONABIE8. 


223 


and  arranged  hl«  wfgw«m.  From  Uiit  union  sprnng  a  nu- 
morouH  fH.nily  :  they  aro  called  tho  Lenni-L^napi,  that  i.  to 
•»y.  tho  j.r.mitive  family,  c,r  tho  anciont  people,  at  the  pres- 
ent day  known  undor  the  uarno  of  Delaware.. 

Tho  Delaware's  beliove  in  fte  existence  of  two  Great 
Spmu,  that  thoy  eall  mika.  Tanka  and  Wuka- Cheeka  ;  thnt 
i«,  the  Good  Spirit  and  the  IJad  Spirit,  to  which  all  the  ma- 
n.touH,  or  inferior  spirit,  whether  good  or  wicked,  must  ren- 
der  homage  and  obedience. 

According  to  their  religious  code,  there  is  a  future  state. 
It  couHistH  ,n  a  place  of  pleasure  and  repose,  where  tho  pru- 
dent  m  council,  intrepid  and  courageous  warriors,  indcfatiga- 
blo  hunters,  and  the  kind  and  honpitahlo  man,  will  obtain 
an  eternal  recompense  ;  and  a  place  of  horrors  for  the  wick- 
ed, for  th<^  /oried  tongues,  or  liars,  for  the  slothful  and  indo- 
ent,  Ihcy  call  the  first  placo  Wak-an-da,  or  country  of 
ifo,  and  the  other,  Yoon-i-un-guch,  or  devouring  and  ima- 
tiablo  gult  which  never  gives  up  its  prey. 

They  say  that  the  country  of  life  is  an  island  of  ravishinff 
beauty  and  of  great  extent.    A  lofty  mountain  risea  majesti- 
cally in  the  centre,  and  on  the  summit  of  this  mountain  ia 
tho  abode  of  the  Great  Spirit.     Thence  he  contemplates  at 
once  the  extent  of  his  vast  domain;  the  courses  of  tho  thou- 
Band  rivers,  clear  as  crystal,  which  extend  through  it  like  so 
many  transparent  threads,  adorning  the  shady  forests,  the 
plams  enamelled  with  flowers,  and  the  tranquil  lakes,  which 
reflect  continually  the  beneficent  rays  of  a  glorious  sun. 
birds  of  the  handsomest  plumage  fill  these  forests  with  their 
sweet  melodies.      The  noblest  auimaIs,~bisons,  elk,  deer, 
goats,  big-horns,-graze  peaceably  in  these  smiling,  hand- 
some,  and  luxuriant  plains.    The  lakes  are  never  agitated 
either  by  wind  or  tempest;  and  slime  nor  mire  can  never 


mingle  with  tho  limpid  waters  of  their  streams. 


AnimtJQ 


224 


WMTIRN  MMSrONS 


Mi 


bir.lH,  tho  otter,  tlio  l.cfivcr,  an.l  lUhvn  iiho\uu\  in  thoni.  Tho 
iun  illurninuH  tin,  cm.try  „f  lifo  :  it,  if,  H.-rnal  Hpting  r.Mj;n^ 
Tho  hloHHo.J  muU  who  aio  a.hniltnj  within  itH  rt-alnin,  ro- 
imn.c  all  their  Htren^th  an.l  aro  i)r.,H.,rvcu|  from  all  di^.a^.H; 
thoy  (sxpcriunco  no  falij,Mio  i,f  tho  cha«u  or  in  oth.-r  a^^rcablu 
<xt.rcis..H  that  tho  (Jroat  Hpirit  allown  then.,  an.l  havo  no  no- 
eo.sMity  fur  ri-poso. 

Tho  ViMm-i-un-f/nrh,  or.  tho  contrary,  which  environs  the 
courrtry  of  lifo,  in  u  |„(m.|  «n.l  ,|,.,.i.  wafor;  if,  pr-H.-ntn  at 
onco  a  torriblo  HUceoHni....  of  cataract  an.l  yawninj.  f,Mills,  in 
which  tho  .•.)aring  of  tho  wavoH  in  fni,^htful.     Thoio,  on  tho 
top  of  an  in.n.onHo  rn^rnjod  rock,  which  rises  abovo  tho  loftioMt 
aiul  most  tui  bulent  waves,  is  tho  roHidonco  of  the  Hpint  of 
evil.     Ah  a  fox  lies  in  wait,— as  a  vultuio  loa.ly  to  dart  up..n 
Its  proy,— Waka-Checka  watches  tho  paasago  of  souls,  con- 
ducting to  tho  country  of  life.     This  j.assHgo  is  so  nar.ow, 
that  only  one  soul  at  a  tin.o  can  possibly  oc.Mipy  tho  hri.lgo* 
which  composes  it.     Tho  bad   spirit  presents  himself  un.ler 
tho  most  hideous  fori..,  and  atta.^ks  each  soul  in  its  turn, 
Tho  cowardly,  indolent  soul  inin.ediatoly  betrays  its  baseness,' 
and  prepares  for  tiij^ht ;    but  at  tho  same  instant,  Cheeka 
seizes  it,  and  precipitates  it  into  tjio  open  gulf,  which  never 
yields  up  its  victim. 

Another  vo.-sion  says,  that  tho  C.-oat  Spirit  has  suspended 
a  bunch  of  beautiful  red  bay-berries  about  the  middle  of  tho 
biidgc,  in  order  to  try  iho  virtue  of  those  who  cross  it  in 
their  voyage  to  the  countiy  of  life. 

The  Indian  that  has  been  active  and  iiKlefatigabie  in  tho 
chase,  or  cou.-ageous  and  victorious  in  wai',  is  n.jt  attracted  by 
the  tempting  fruit;  ho  continues  his  onwai'd  p.-ogi-ess  with- 
out attending  to  it.  On  tho  contiary,  the  indolent  and  cow- 
ardly soul,  tempted  by  the  fascinating  bays,  stops,  and 
stretches  out  Lis  hand  to  seize  it ;  but  instantly  the  timber 


AND  itisaroNARiEa. 


M5 


Mrhich  form,  tho  bri.|g«  „i,.kH  heavily  boncath  Li.  foot;  lie 
tallii,  nn.l  iH  loHt  forovor  in  tljo  diro  ab>M. 

Thu  DolHwanm  bcliuvo  that  tho  cxintenco  of  goo<l  urul  evil 
.,..r.t.  dat.  hack  to  .o  r.noto  an  epoch  Uu/it  i.  T.;  L:;! 
bio  for  n,an  to  con.e.vo  it«  curnnu^nccmont ;  that  th..«e  irib 
oru  un.nu.abhs  un.l  that  <loath  ban  no  o.npi,.,  ovor  thorn  • 
h«y  orcatod  the  .nat.itouH,  or  inferior  Hpi.it.H.  who  enjoy,  hko 
t  o.n,e  ve«  .nunortality.     They  attribute  to  the  good    pirit 
all  earUdy  ble««,ng« :  light,  the  boat  of  the  «un,  health   tho 
vaned  and  beneHcont  productions  of  nature,  their  «ucce^  in 
war  or^,n  the  ch«Mo,  &o.    From  the  wicked  spirit  proceed 
nil  contradictions  and  .ninfortuneK,  darkncHM,  cold,  failuro  in 
bun  .ng   and   war,  hunger,   thirst,   old   age,   Hickn,.«,   and 
death      Iho  .nan.tous  cannot  of  themselves  do  either  good 
orevd;    for   they  aro  only   the  faithful  Tnodiato..  of  tho 
great  spirit;,,  for   tho   execution  of  their  orders  and  tiieir 
designs. 

immo  tal.     They  aay  that  the  soul  does  not  quit  the  body 
immediately  after  death,  but  that  those  two  parts  of  man 
descend  mto  the  grave,  where  they  remain  together  during 
Boveral  days  sometimes  during  weeks  and  months.     After 
the  sou   has  left  the  tomb,  it  retards  anew  its  departure  for 
a  Umc,  before  ,t  is  capable  of  breaking  the  bonds  which  have 
BO  intimately  attached  it  to  the  body  on  earth.     It  is  on  ac- 
count ot  this  strong  attachment,  this  intimate  union  between 
tho  body  and  the  soul,  that  the  Indians  paint  and  carefully 
adorn  the  body  before  interring  it,  and  place  provisions 
arms  and  utensils  in  the  tomb.     This  custom  is  not  only  a 
last  duty  of  respect  paid  to  tho  dead,  but  at  the  same  time  a 
profession  of  their  belief  that  the  soul  will  appear  under  the 
tune  form  ,1.  tie  '' c^^Uj  of  hTe,"if  it  be  «>  happy  «,  to 
attain  it.    They  aro  convinced  that  thn  nf^ncJia  o.»v,o  „^j 


in' 


226 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


provisions,  are  indispensable  to  the  soul  in  traversing  tho 
long  and  dangerous  trip  which  leads  to  the  "  island  of  hap- 
piness." 

Watomika,  of  whom  I  have  spoken,  assured  mo  that  ho 
daily  placed  a  favorite  dish  on  the  tomb  of  his  father,  during 
a  whole  month,  persuaded  each  time  that  the  food  had  dis- 
appeared,—that  the  soul  of  tho  departed  had  accepted  the 
viand.  He  never  discontinued  repeating  this  last  testimony 
of  filial  love  and  fidelity  to  the  manes  of  his  father,  whom 
he  tenderly  loved,  until  a  dream  assured  him  that  that  soul 
BO  dear  had  entered  the  "  regions  of  life,"  and  was  in  the  en- 
joyment of  all  the  favors,  and  i-ll  the  advantages  that  the 
Great  Spirit  grants  so  liberally  to  those  who  have  faithfully 
accomplished  their  obligations  on  earth. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  indicate  to  you  the  striking  points  of 
resemblance  with  several  ancient  traditions  of  religion.  Al- 
though fabulous  in  several  circumstances,  this  Indian  narra- 
tive includes  ideas  on  the  creation,  the  terrestrial  paradise, 
heaven  and  hell,  angels  and  demons,  &c. 

The  Lenni-Lenapi  offer  two  kinds  of  sacrifice,  namely,  to 
the  good  spirit  and  to  the  evil  spirit ;  that  is  to  say,  to  Waka- 
Tanka  and  to  Waka-Cheeka. 

One  of  these  ceremonies  is  performed  in  common,  and 
the  whole  tribe  or  village  take  part  in  it ;  the  other  is  pri- 
vate, one  family  or  several  households  sharing  in  it.  The 
solemnity  of  the  general  sacrifice  takes  place  in  the  spring  of 
the  year.  It  is  made  to  obtain  the  benedictions  of  Waka- ' 
Tanka  on  the  entire  nation,  that  the  earth  may  be  rendered 
fruitful,  the  hunting-grounds  abound  with  animals  and  birds, 
and  the  rivers  and  lakes  crowded  with  fish.  This  particular 
sacrifice  comprehends  all  the  sacrifices  which  take  place  in 
certain  cincumstances  and  in  certain  seasons  of  the  year. 
They  are  oflForcd  to  either  the  good  or  evil  spirit,  Ibr  ob- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


227 


taining  personal  favors,  or  preservation  from  all  accidents 
and  misfortunes. 

Before  the  great  feast  or  annual  sacrifice,  the  great  chief 
convenes  his  council.  It  is  composed  of  inferior  chiefs,  of 
senior  warriors  who  have  taken  scalps  in  war,  and  jugglera 
or  medicine-men.  They  deliberate  on  the  proper  time  and 
suitable  place  for  the  'sacrifice.  The  decision  is  proclaimed 
by  the  orators  to  the  assembled  tribe.  Immediately  every 
individual  begins  taking  his  measures,  and  making  his  prep- 
arations for  assisting  worthily  at  the  festival  and  giving  bril- 
liancy to  the  ceremonies. 

About  ten  days  previous  to  the  solemnity,  the  principal 
iugglers,  to  whom  the  arrangement  of  the  ceremonies  has 
been  confided,  blacken  their  foreheads  with  powdered  char- 
coal mixed  with  grease ;  this  is  their  token  of  mourning  and 
penance.  They  retire,  either  into  their  own  lodges,  or  into 
the  most  hidden  and  inaccessible  thicknesses  of  the  neigh- 
boring forests.  Alone,  they  pass  the  time  in  silence,  in  jug- 
gleries, and  in  superstitious  practices ;  they  observe  a  most 
rigorous  fast,  and  often  pass  ten  days  in  a  complete  absti- 
nence, without  partaking  of  the  least  nourishment. 

In  the  mean  time  the  medicine-lodge  is  erected  in  its 
widest  dimensions.  Every  one  contributes  to  it  whatever  he 
possesses  of  value,  or  that  he  considers  precious,  to  serve  as 
ornaments  on  this  grand  occasion. 

On  the  day  named,  eariy  in  the  morning,  the  chiefs,  fol- 
lowed by  the  medicine-men  and  all  the  people,  each  in  full 
costume  and  carefully  painted  with  different  colors,  march  in 
procession  to  the  lodge,  and  participate  in  a  religious  ban- 
quet hastily  prepared.  During  the  repast,  the  orators  make 
their  customary  discourses ;  these  turn  principally  upon  all 
the  events  of  the  year  just  elapsed,  and  on  the  success  ob- 
tained, or  the  misfortunes  experienced. 


1.1 


i!' 


228 


WIESTERN  MISSIONS. 


IM' 


-■111 


After  the  banquet  a  fire  is  kindled  in  the  centre  of  the 
lodge.     Twelve  Btones,  each  one  weighing  three  pounds,  are 
placed  before  the  fire  and  heated  to  redness.     The  victim, 
■which  is  a  white  dog,  is  presented  to  the  jugglers  by  the 
great  chief,  accompanied  by  all  his  grave  counsellors.     The 
sacrificant,  or  master  of  ceremonies,  attaches  the  animal  to 
the  medicine-post,  consecrated  to  this  use,  and  painted  red. 
After  making  his  supplications  to  Waka-Tanka,  he  immo- 
lates the  victim  with  a  single  blow,  tears  out  his  heart,  and 
divides  it  into  three  equal  parts.     At  the  instant  they  draw 
from  the  fire  the  twelve  red-hot  stones  and  arrange  them  in 
three  heaps,  on  each  of  which  the  sacrificant  places  a  piece 
of  the  heart  enveloped  in  the  leaves  of  the  kinekinic,*  or 
sumac. 

While  these  pieces  are  consuming,  the  jugglers  raise  with 
one  hand  their  idols,  and  holding  in  the  other  a  gourd 
filled  with  little  stones,  they  beat  the  measure,  dance,  and 
thus  surround  the  smoking  sacrifice.  At  the  same  time  they 
implore  the  Waka-Tanka  to  grant  them  a  liberal  share  of 
blessings. 

Afler  the  heart  and  the  leaves  are  entirely  consumed,  the 
ashes  are  collected  in  a  beautiful  doeskin,  ornamented  with 
beads  and  embroidered  with  porcupine,  and  presented  to  the 
sacrificant.  This  last  immediately  goes  forth  from  his  lodge, 
preceded  by  four  masters  of  ceremonies,  bearing  the  skin, 
and  followed  by  the  whole  band  of  jugglers.  After  ha- 
ranguing the  multitude  in  the  most  flattering  terms,  he 
divides  the  ashes  of  the  sacrifice  into  six  portions.  He  casts 
the  first  towards  heaven,  and  entreats  the  Good  Spirit  to 


*  The  Kinekinic  (Sasakkonienah,  in  Ojibway)  is  a  shrub  of  the  genus 
Ehus.  The  Indians  generally  uae  the  leaves  to  mix  with  tobacco  when 
they  smoke. 


AND  MISSIONABIES. 


229 


grant  them  Lis  blessings;   he  spreads  the  second  on  the 
earth,  to  obtain  fiom  it  an  abundance  of  fruits  and  of  roots. 
The  remaining  four  portions  are  olFei-ed  to  the  four  cardinal 
points.     "From  the  east  the  light  of  day  (the  sun)  is  grant- 
ed them.    The  west  sends  them  the  greatest  abundance  of 
showers,  which  fertilize  the  plains  and  forests,  and  supply 
-with  water  the  springs,  and  those  rivers  and  lakes  which 
furnish  them  with  fish.     The  north,  with  its  snows  and  ice, 
facilitates  to  them  the  operations  of  the  chase ;  the  hunters 
can  in  the  cold  season,  with  more  ease  and  security,  follow 
the  tracks  of  the  animals.     In  the  spring  the  soutliern  gales 
call  forth  the  new  verdure,  blossoms,  and  fruits;  it  is  the 
season  when  all  the  wild  animals  bring  forth  their  young, 
that  they  may  feed  on  the  fresh  herbage,  and  the  tender 
branches  of  trees  and  shrubs."     The  sacrificant  implores  all 
the  elements  to  be  propitious.     Finally,  he  addresses  the 
medicine-men,  thanking  ihem  for  all  that  they  have  done  to 
obtain  the  assistance  and  favor  of  Waka-Tanka  in  the  course 
of  the  ensuing  year.     Then  the  whole  assembly  shout  joy- 
fully their  approbation,  and  withdraw  to  theii  wigwams,  to 
pass  the  remainder  of  the  day  in  feasting  and  dancing.    The 
white  dog  is  carefully  prepared  and  cooked,    ^ach  member 
of  the  confraternity  of  jugglers  receives  his  portion  in  a 
wooden  dish,  and  is  bound  to  eat  the  whole  (excepting  the 
bones).    This  repast  terminates  the  grand  festival  and  the 
annual  banquet. 

^  The  difference  between  the  particular  and  the  general  sac- 
rifice consists  in  this,— the  heart  of  any  other  animal  may  be 
offered  to  the  good  spirit  by  one  juggler  only,  and  in  presence 
of  one  single  individual,  or  of  one  or  several  families,  in  favor 
of  whom  the  offering  is  made. 

When  any  misfortune  happens  to  one  or  to  several  families, 
they  immediately  address  the  chief  of  the  jugglers,  imparting 

20 


Ill 


230 


WESTEBN   MISSIONS 


to  him  their  afflictions  and  difficulties.  This  communication 
is  made  in  the  most  submissive  terms,  in  order  to  obtain  his 
intercession  and  his  aid.  lie  at  once  invites  three  individuals 
among  the  initiated  to  deliberate  together  on  the  affair  in 
question.  After  the  customary  incantations  and  juggleries, 
the  chief  rises  and  makes  known  the  causes  of  the  anger  of 
Wnka-Cheeka.  They  then  go  to  the  lodge,  prepared  for  the 
sacrifice ;  kindle  a  large  fire  in  it,  and  continue  according  to 
the  ritual  of  the  grand  sacrifice.  The  jugglers  endeavor  to 
render  themselves  as  hideous  as  possible,  painting  their  faces 
and  bodies,  and  wearing  the  most  fantastical  accoutrements. 
Undoubtedly  they  wish  to  resemble  more  closely  (at  least  in 
the  exterior)  the  hideous  and  evil  spirit  whom  they  serve, 
and  thus  obtain  his  favors. 

The  unhappy  suppliants  are  then  introduced  into  the 
lodge  and  present  the  sacrificant  the  entrails  of  a  crow,  by 
way  of  offering.  They  place  themselves  opposite  the  jug- 
glers. The  red-hot  stones,  mounted  in  one  heap,  consume 
the  entrails,  wrapped  in  the  leaves  of  kinekinic,  or  sumac. 
The  chief  secretly  draws  from  his  sack  of  juggleries,  which 
contains  his  idols  and  other  superstitious  objects,  a  bear's 
tooth,  and  hide%  it  in  his  mouth.  Then  he  covers  his  right 
eye  with  his  hand,  moans  and  shrieks,  as  though  he  were 
undergoing  the  greatest  sufferings  and  the  most  excruciating 
agony.  This  play  continues  some  moments.  He  pretends 
to  draw  the  tooth  from  his  eye,  and  presents  it  triumphantly 
to  his  credulous  clients,  making  them  believe  that  the  anger 
of  Waka-Cheeka  is  appeased.  If  the  affair  is  very  import- 
ant, the  jugglers  often  receive  several  horses,  or  other  objects 
of  value,  and  all  retire  satisfied  and  joyous. 

I  J  Db  ^ot,  3.  J. 


l! 


AND  MISSIONABIES. 


231 


Letter  XVL 


11 


'h,    /HE  Editor  of  the  Pnftcia  Historiques,  Brussels. 
Kutalwa  and  Ma/ria,  parents  of  Watomika, 

Namub,  January  80, 1857. 
Rev.  I  1TD  DEAR  Father  : 

I  jarrated  to  you,  in  one  of  ray  letters,  the  conversion 
of  Wa«iomika  (Light-foot)  and  his  vocation  to  the  religious 
state.    A.  short  notice  concerning  his  parents  will  interest  you. 

WaUmika  was  born  in  the  village  of  Muskagola,  in  Indian 
Territory.  His  father,  called  Kistalwa,  the  Runner  of  the 
Mountain-path,  was  grandson  of  Ilobokou,  or  the  Tobacco- 
pipe,  a  distinguished  chief  and  warrior  of  the  tribe  of  Dela- 
wares,  or  Lenni-Lenapi,  which  figure  worthily  in  the  Indian 
history  of  the  United  States.  Ketchura,  his  cousin,  is  the 
actual  chief  of  the  Delawares,  and  the  successor  of  Kistalwa. 

During  the  last  fifteen  years  of  hib  life,  Kistalwa  exercised 
the  fiinctions  of  great  chief.  On  many  an  occasion,  he  proved 
by  his  boldness,  while  hunting  the  bear,  tiger,  and  buffalo, 
and  especially  by  his  bravery  in  war,  that  he  was  worthy  at 
once  of  the  high  position  which  he  occupied  in  his  nation, 
and  of  the  title  of  descendant  of  a  long  succession  of  chiefe 
and  illustrious  warriors.  Educated  in  the  superstitions  of 
paganism,  Kistalwa  was  ignorant  of  the  Christian  religion. 
He  saw  in  the  whites  who  visited  his  tribe,  naught  but 
ranrpere  of  the  lands  of  his  ancestors,  who  continually 
pushed  them  into  unexplored  wilds ;  but  government  agents, 


'  1 


■I      |l 


232 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


!  1 

[! 


I  1 


who,  httlo  by  littlo,  and  in  proportion  as  it  extended  its  vaHt 
empuo,  would  succeed  iu  exterminating  the  whole  Indian 
race.     Ilo  saw  them  introducing  themselves  among  them— 
men,  who,  under  the  appearance  of  friendship,  extended  the 
hand,  addressed  them  kind  and  flattering  words,  cncoura-^ed 
the  Indian  to  drink  fire-water  (jis  the  latter  call  liquo'J-s) 
inebriated  them,  in  order  the  better  to  deceive  them  in  their 
infamous  traffic,  and  fomented  the  most  abject  vices     He 
was  witness  of  the  fatal  iutiuences  tliut  these  perverse  and 
hypocritical  men  exerted  iu  the  tribe.     Is  it  then  surprising 
that  he  liated  not  only  those  individuals,  but  even  the  reli- 
gion  to  which  they  pretended  to  belong,  even  the  very  name 
of  Christian,  which  they  presumed  to  bear  ?     Like  the  aged 
Ilamilcar,  father  of  Uannibal,  Kistalwa  never  ceased  to  in- 
spire the  young  Watomika  with  an  eternal  hatred  towards 
the  treacherous  white  race. 

^    The  mother  of  Watomika  was  of  French  orign.    Accord- 
ing to  the  accounts  of  this  woman,  her  parents  came  from 
the  province  of  Auvergne,  and,  after  crossing  the  ocean 
tliey  settled  in  a  rich  and  lovely  valley,  on  the  shores  of  the' 
Ivio-Frio,  a  tributary  of  the  Nueces,  in  Texas,  which  then 
formed  a  part  of  Mexico.     Green  plains,  with  which  the  val- 
ley  abounded,  served  as  pasturage  to  countless  troops  of  wild 
cattle  and  thousands  of  wild  horses.     The  Comanches,  not 
less  savage  and  wandering,  came  there  from  time  to  time  to 
make  their  great  hunt,  and  provide  themselves  with  those 
impetuous  coursers,  which  render  them  the  terror  of  their 
enemies  in  war.     Here  Maria,  mother  of  Watomika,  was 
born.     She  had  a  brother,  called  Louis,  three  years  older 
an(J  born  iu  France.  ' 

Days,  months,  even  years,  rolled  on,  without  the  peace  of 
the  solitary  cottage  of  the  intrepid  Frenchman,  aa  he  waa 
denommated,  ever  being  distmbod.    Kq  had  nc  other  neigh- 


AND  MISSION AJIIE8. 


233 


bors  tlian  tlic  wandering  savng.sB,  who,  at  certain  seasons  of 
the  year,  visited  him,  testified  much  friendship  add  attach- 
ineut  for  him,  and  bringing  him   their  peltry  and  provis- 
ions, received  in  exchange  those  articles  which  were  suited 
to  their  wants  or  would  allbrd  them  plc-isure.     This  littlo 
himily,  so  tranquil,  so  hai)py  in  the  lonely  wild,  sheltered 
Ironi  those  i.ojitical  commotions,  from  those  furious  temp.-sts 
which  arise  and  scatter  fear,  disorder,  and  ruin  into  the  most 
charming  provinces  of  fair  France,  their  native  country— the 
Bucheur  family,  ren-ote  from  tlioso  tragical  and  bloody  spec- 
tacles, believed  they  had  found  repose  in  the  solitude,  far 
from  the  confusions  and  vicisitudes  of  wliich  they  had  been 
witness  in  the  last  century.     But,  alas !   the  dreams  of  life 
are  very  deceitful,  and   often  very  short !     The  visions  of 
man's  imagination  here   below  are  illusory  and  uncertain. 
Passing  for  the  greater  part  witli  the  speed  of  lightning* 
they  dazzle  but  an  instant.    The  intrepid  Frenchman  counted 
upon  a  long  continuance  of  happy  years.     Eight  years  had 
already  elapsed,  and  peace  and  happiness  ever  reigned  in  his 
little  household.     The  savages  appeared  to  be  sincerely  at- 
tached to  him;  he  was  their  friend,  their  benefactor;   ho 
thought  himself  securely  sheltered  from  all  danger  on  their 
part. 

Suddenly,  an  unforeseen   event   annihilated   his   fondest 
hopes.     A  little  party  of  Comanche  hunters  were  massacred 
by  some  Spaniards  on  the  Kio  Grande.     Instantly  the  cry  of 
war  and  of  vengeance  resounded  in  all  the  camps  of  the 
tribe.     The  Indian  warriors  r.h-eady  scour  the  plains  and  the 
foiests,  in  search  of  the  scalps  of  the  white  man,  and  ea<rer 
to  drench  their  hands  in  his  blood.     They  Lad  sought^'in 
vain  for  weeks,  when  the  remembrance  of  the  solitary  of  the 
Eio  Frio  presented  itself  to  the  thought  of  one  soldier  of  the 
band.     He  proposed  the  blow ;  it  was  accepted.    In  their 

2()a 


<■ 


m 


231 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


frenzied  rage  they  forgot  the  benevolence  and  friendship  of 
which  they  hud  continually  received  proofs  in  the  CJibin  o' 
the  honest  Frenchman,  and  of  his  faithful  companion.  They 
even  forgot  the  innocent  caresses  of  the  two  little  children. 

Favored  by  the  darkness  pf  night,  they  approached  this 
peaceful  dwelling.  While  the  whole  family  were  buried 
in  a  profound  slumber,  the  war-whoop  of  the  barbarians 
aroused  them.  Armed  with  clubs,  the  aggressors  burst  in 
the  doors,  and  ere  the  family  had  time  to  recover  from  tlieir 
panic,  they  seized  the  father,  mother,  and  the  children. 
They  led  them  to  a  little  distance  from  the  house,  so  that 
they  might  themselves  be  the  melancholy  witnesses  of  the 
destruction  by  tire  of  all  that  the  savages  could  not  transport. 

This  was  only  the  commencement  of  their  misfortunes. 
The  wrath  and  revenge  of  the  Indians,  inflamed  by  all  tho 
injuries  received  from  some  whites,  was,  in  the  absence  of 
the  really  culpable,  to  fall  upon  these  innocent  victims. 
They  loaded  them  with  opprobrium  and  overwhelmed  them 
with  cruelties.  After  a  precipitate  and  painful  march,  con- 
tinued during  several  days,  almost  without  being  able  to  take 
the  least  repose,  and  with  very  little  food,  they  arrived  at 
the  village  of  the  great  Comanche  chief,  a  near  relation  of 
the  hunters  raassa  red  by  the  Spaniards. 

The  camp  was  warned  beforehand  of  the  approach  of  the 
warriors.  They  were  received  with  all  the  honors  of  a  real 
triumph,  consisting  in  scalp-dances,  songs,  and  festivals,  as  if 
these  miserable  wretches  had  actually  distinguished  them- 
selves by  a  heroic  action  and  in  battle  array.  While  the 
council  was  sitting  in  the  lodge  of  the  chief,  in  order  to  de- 
liberate on  the  lot  of  the  prisoners,  these  last  were  conducted 
all  around  the  village,  amid  tho  most  atrocious  injuries  which 
each  barbarian  had  the  right  to  inflict  on  them.  The  chief 
at  last  proclaimed  the  sentence,  which  was  heard  and  ao- 


AND  MIS8I0NABIES. 


285 


ceptod  with  loud  acclamntions.    Tho  post  waa  Immodiatcly 
erected  m  the   camp  and    Burrouiided  with  fagots.      The 
Frenchman  and  his  wifo  were  fastenod  to  it  together,  in 
order  that  ihiy  might  perish  in  the  flamen.    The  savage 
dances,  tho  frenzied  gestures,  tlie   cries,  vociferations,  and 
howhngs  of  these  infuriated  barbarians,  aftgmentod  the  deep 
anguish  and  horrible  agony  of  their  unfortunate  victims. 
Ihe  father  and  mother  never  ceased,  until  their  latest  breath, 
conjuring  their  cruel   executioners   to   take  pity  on  their 
poor,  innocent  children.    Little  Louis  and  Maria  wore  spared, 
on  account  of  their  infant  years.     The  former  was  ten  years' 
of  age ;  the  girl  was  only  seven.    They  were,  however,  forced 
to  witness  the  sacrifice  of  their  beloved  parents,  whom  they 
could  neither  deliver  nor  comfort.     They  trembled  in  every 
hmb,  shed  torrents  of  tears,  called  their  father  and  mother 
by  their  sweetest  names,  and  supplicated,  but  in  vain,  thoso 
cruel  and  merciless  hearts  to  spare  their  lives.    The  moaninrv 
of  the  father,  amid  his  cruel  tortures,  and  the  agonizing 
shrieks  of  the  dying  mother,  rent  the  hearts  of  these  tender 
children.     In  their  despair,  they  would  have  thrown  them- 
selves at  their  feet,  heedless  of  the  flames,  if  the  monsters 
that  surrounded  them  had  not  opposed  them. 

Immediately  after  this  tragical  and  shocking  scene,  tho 
two  unhappy  orphans  were  subjected  to  a  new  trial,  not  less 
hard  and  afflicting  in  the  melancholy  circumstances  in  which 
they  found  themselves.  Hitherto  tliey  had  passed  together 
the  innocent  and  joyous  days  of  their  childhood ;  they  shared 
each  other's  sports,  and  made  little  excursions  together :  now 
that  their  tender  hearts  wished  to  sympathize  in  this  bitter 
trial,  they  were  pitilessly  separated,  never  to  see  each  other 
again  on  earth.  The  only  sou  of  a  chief  who  was  present 
had  lately  fallen  in  war.  This  chief  claimed  Louis,  to  take 
Ihe  place  of  his  son,  put  him  on  a  beautiful  horse,  and  con- 


986 


WK8Tl'^nN   MISSIONS 


tliicto<l  him  to  IiiH  country.    From  that  time  thoy  havo  never 

hoard  of  him.     If  ho  Htill  lives,  he  ptohal.ly  now  replai-es  hii 

a.h)i)UHl  lather  m  Comanche  chief,  and  wan.lciH  with  hiit  red 

hrothen*  in  the  boiuulloHH  prairieM  of  Texas,  Ne^r  Mexico,  and 

the  (Jreat  Desert.     Maria  wan  adoptcl  in  the  family  of  a 

great  Comaiuihe  warrior,  who  treate.l  her  a.s  his  own  child, 

and  who  n-snmed,  «.)on  after,  the  trail  leading  to  \m  own' 

country,  situate<l  to  the  north  of  Texan.     She  pasHo.l  neven 

years   in   this    family,  when   sho   accompanied   her  Indian 

parents  to  a  trading-post,  estahlishod  in  the  upper  part  of 

lied  liiver.     They  there  met  a  great  party  of  Dolawares,  led 

forth  by  the  young  an.l  brave  Kintalwa,  son  of  Buclcongohela. 

The  two  companies  at  oru^e  paid  the  customary  compliments, 

and  smoked  the  calumet  of  peace  and  of  fraternity. 

Maria   attracted   the   attention    of  the   Delaware   party, 
especially  of  KislaKva,  who  conversed  with  hor.     Sho  con- 
sented to  accompany  him  to  the  lodge  of  Buckongohela, 
provided  her  adopted  parents  gave  their  approbation.     Kis- 
talwa  Ijastened  to  propose  the  matter  to  the  old  Comanche. 
The  latter,  surprised,  rejected  the  proposition  with  severity, 
and  refused,  positively,  to  hear  it  mentioned.     Ko  even  took 
steps  to  prevent  any  interview  between  the  young  Delaware 
and  his  adopted  daughter.     Kistalwa  was  firm  ;\e  did  not 
sutler  himself  to  be  easily  intimidated,  and  this  firsL  refusal 
only  served  to  encourage  him  to  persist  in  his  request  at 
every  hazard.     The   history  of  the  young  white  girl  had 
deeply  touched  his  heart.     He  determined  absolutdy  to  take 
her,  to  tear  her,  if  necessary,  from  one  of  the  tormentors  of 
her  unfortunate  father  and  mother.     He,  therclbre,  returned 
to  the  charge  with  such  determination,  and  with  such  posi- 
tive arguments,  that  the  Comanche  began  to  reflect  on  the 
consequences  of  a  second  refusal,  and  to  tremble  fur  the  se- 
curity of  his  whole  family.    The  affair  assumed  a  new  aspect  • 


m 


AND    MISHIONAUIKS. 


287 


tho  old  rri.liim  lent  n  moro  ntfontivo  enr  to  tho  <li«(!our«o  of 
tho  yoiill.lul  warrior.  Ki.Htalwu  per.Mnvcl  it,  nri.l  irnim). 
diiitcly  put  h'm  cjiliiinet  utid  tubacco  at  liis  (Viit.  Accordinj^ 
to  Indian  usagcH,  if  tho  ad  verso  party  pays  no  attention  to 
tho  calumet,  it  is  n  si^rn  tluit  ho  rtfiis.H  ail  arrnti^'.'nient. 
lint  tho  Coinanclio,  to  tho  perfect  d.;li;,'lit  of  his  gucHt, 
hastened  to  light  the  calumet,  and  ott'ered  it  to  tho  <ireat 
Spirit  and  to  all  tho  manitouH  in  his  cahindar,  as  a  token  of 
Ins  sincerity.  The  calumet  then  paMsed  fi-oin  mouth  to 
mouth,  as  in  conclusion  of  tho  treaty.  The  one  i)romise<l 
liis  dau^diter;  the  other,  in  testimony  of  his  gratitude,  ma<lo 
n  present  to  tho  father  of  two  splendid  horses  uud  au  ampio 
supply  of  tobacco  and  of  mum:  ions. 

Kistalwa  soon  mado  his  preparations  for  departure,  and 
cause.  1  the  white  girl  to  be  informed  of  his  intentions.     Sho 
found  it  dillicult  to  quit  her  Comanche  parents,  to  whom  slio 
was  sincerely  attached.     Maria,  by  her  mildness,  her  intelli- 
gence, and  her  other  good  (pialities,  which  distinguished  her* 
from  lier  companiotis,  had  won  every  heart  in  the  Comandio 
family.     They,  on  their  side,  iiad  manifested  towards  M^ria, 
during  her  long  sojourn  in  their  lodge,  all  the  respect  and 
nftectiou  of  real  brothers  and  sisters.     Tho  separation  was 
therefore  painful ;  and  their  mutual  grief  was  evidenced  by 
an  abundance   of   tears   in    exchanging   tho    last   farewell. 
Hence,  in  bidding  adieu  to  Maria,  tho  old  Comanche  im- 
plored his  manitous  to  protect  tho  path  through  which  she 
would  pass  :  having  placed  l;er  under  their  safeguard,  ho  com- 
mitted her  into  the  hands  of  Kistalwa  and  his  band  of  warriors. 
Proud  of  tho  treasure  which  they  took  with  them,  they 
resumed,  as  if  in  triumph,  tho  way  to  their  own  country. 
Tho  sun  slione,  the  plains  abounded  with  animals,  the  chaso 
was  successful,  no  enemy  disputed  their  passage,  all  was  pro- 
pitious and  happy  during  their  long  journey. 


I 


I 


1-1 


238 


WliSTEJiN   MlfiSIONI 


J 


Maria,  at  her  arrival  aruouj?  tho  F^nni-Lonapi,  hcnrcfor- 
ward  her  own  nation,  wan  njc«iv«(l  th«ro  with  every  murk  of 
ten.iorn<'«H  atxl  Htloction  by  th«  great  chief  Huckongohelo. 
Ho  j^avo  htir  tho  nanio  of  Moiiotuwan,  or  tho  White  Ante- 
lo|Ks  on  account  of  her  dolicuto  form  and  her  exceedingly 
fair  comploxion. 

Two  years  after,  Monotawan  wan  inarric<l  to  Kintal wa, 
with  tho  ceretnouioB  and  ritcH  uned  in  that  tribi-.     The  fol- 
lowing aro  tho  details  of  this  kind  of  Holemnity :  when  a 
young  man  desires  to  marry,  he  declares  his  intention  to 
tho  father  and  mother  of  tho  young  person  of  his  choice,  if 
thoy  are  living,  if  not,  to  tho  nearest  relations  and  fric^nds. 
These   decide  on   tho  Buitabloness  of  tho    marriage.     The 
young  nuvn  then  takes  Ihh  gun,  his  shot-pouch,  and  his  pow- 
der-horn, and  passes  three  consecutive  days  in  pursuit  of 
gamo  in  the  neighboring  forests  and  plains.     If  he  obtains 
success  and  returns  with  his  horses  laden  with  the  products 
of  tho  chase,  it  is  a  certain  presage  of  happiness  and  peace 
in  tho  new  state  which  ho  is  about  to  enter;  if,  on  tho  con- 
trary,  he  returns  to  tho  lodge  with  empty  hands  or  with  poor 
game,  tho  augury  is  unfavorable,  and  the  friends  often  defer 
tho  marriage  to  a  more  propitious  time.     Tho  hunter,  on  his 
return,  chooses  tho  must  delicate  specimens  of  his  game, 
places  them  at  tho  entrance  of  the  wigwam  of  his  intended,' 
and  then  retires  without  saying  a  word  to  any  ono  whomso' 
ever.     When  tho  present  is  accepted,  it  is  a  sign  that  no 
objection  exists  on  the  part  of  the  family  or  friends  to  tho 
projected  union.     Without  delay  the  betrothed  inako  all 
tho  preparations  which  prelude  the  marriage.    The  young 
man  and  young  woman  carefully  paint  their  faces  with  dif- 
ferent  colors  and  devices,  and  adorn  themselves  with  their 
finest   ornaments.      These   last   consist   in  bracelets,  neck- 
laces of  glass  and  porcelain  beads,  handsome  birds'-teathera, 


AKD  MI8810NARIM. 


239 


hnbiti  of  antelopo  ntid  buck  nkinn,  richly  ombroidoml  und 
worked  with  |»orou{>iiie-<juillH  of  varicun  tint*.     Tho  bride- 
groom ties  fox  and  wolf  tniU  around  his  heoU  and  knees  in 
tho  fanhion  of  gnrtcns  and  innortH  foathcrs  of  tho  onglo'n  tail 
in  hii  hair— the  lawt  are  niarkH  of  great  distinction.    Tho 
principal  jugglers  make  an  offering  of  t«)bacco  to  Waka- 
TallkJ^  or  the  (Jrcat  Spirit,  in  order  to  obtain  his  favors  for 
the  young  couple,  and  present  him  a  b»!avcr-skin  in  sacrifice, 
as  a  mark  of  their  gratitude  for  tho  future  blcssingn  which 
they  implore  for  them.     Tho  friends  and  near  relations  pro- 
pare  the  grand  marriage-feast  together.     Tlioro  the  young 
man  is  presented  to  the  family  by  the  groat  mnster  of  cere- 
monies.    Ho  places  a  beaver-skin  in  tho  hand  of  each  of  tho 
betrothed.     They  exchange  these  between  them,  and  thus 
ratify  their  consent  to  tho  marriage.    Tho  repast  commences, 
tho  guests  do  honor  to  tlio  viands,  they  danco  and  sing  to 
the  drum  and  the  flute,  and  amid  these  amusements  and  tho 
recitation  of  interesting  talcs,  terminates  tho  nuptial  cere- 
mony among  tho  Lenni-Lonapi. 

Monotawan  became  the  motlier  of  two  sons ;  tho  elder  was 
called  Chiwendota  or  tho  Black  Wolf,  tho  juuior  received 
the  name  of  Watoraika  or  the  Light-foot.    . 

Pleaso  accept  my  best  respects,  and  beliovo  me, 
^  Your  devoted  brother  in  Christ, 

r.  J.  db  smbt,  a  J. 


i*fl 


I 


94/" 


WSWKSIN   MISSIONS 


\r, 


I     I, 


I  I'li 


ii 


li'lr 


■'.I 


mm 


letter  XVII. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Pufccis  IIistoriques,  Brussels. 

Fire-worshijK 

St.  L0UI8,  November  14,  1857. 
BbV.  AND    VEIiy    DEAR   FatIIKR! 

The  ancient  worship  of  fire  exists  among  our  Indians 
from  time  imnicnioriiil.  It  is  found  in  their  traditions,  as  in 
the  history  of  ahnost  all  the  nations  which  have  had  temples 
and  altars  in  which  was  a  pyre,  a  hearth,  a  brasier,  in  order 
to  entertain  continually  the  lire  used  in  their  sacrifices.  Tho 
Greeks  adored  fire  under  tho  name  of  llaitos,  and  the  Latin" 
under  the  name  of  Vesta.  Father  Charlevoix  represents  the 
tribes  of  Louisiana,  and  especially  tho  ancient  tribe  of  the 
Natchez,  as  keeping  up  a  perpetual  fire  in  all  their  medi- 
cine lodges  or  temples.  Among  the  Moquis  of  New  Mexico 
tho  sacred  fire  is  constantly  maintained  by  aged  men.  Tliey 
believe  that  great  misfortunes  will  afflict  tho  whole  tribe 
Bhould  the  fire  be  extinguished. 

The  superstitious  devotion  to  fire  was  general  among  the 
Mexicans  at  tho  period  of  the  Conquest.  In  a  book  en- 
titled, Inie  Calotle  in  Ilhziicac^  or  Waij  to  Heaven,  printed 
in  1G07  and  1612,  we  see  that  each  one  of  the  eighteen 
months  of  the  Mexican  year  was  consecrated  to  a  particular 
divinity,  honored  hf  festivals  more  or  less  solemn,  and  al- 
most alw.ays  by  human  sacrifices. 

The  first  month,  which  begun  on  the  second  of  February, 


mai 


'mi»mma^xm"Tixw/^ 


AMD  MISSlONAIilKS. 


241 


was  conscci-fitud  to  Altachuala,  god  of  the  detention  of  waters  ; 
the  sccoimI,  to  the  dcstroyiu'j  cjod  of  nations ;  tho  third,  to 
tho  yod  of  the  waters  ;  tho  fourtli,  to  tho  yod  of  maize  ;  the 
fiftli,  fiillin^r  Hb(jut  E!i8tcr,  to  tho  god  Tezcatlipoca,  which  was 
tiio  Jiii^)itor  of  tho  liomans;  tho  ninth  was  consecrated  to  tho 
<jod  of  war. 

The  tenth  month,  called  Xocolh-huetzi,  began  on  tho  4tU 
of  August.  Then  took  place  the  groat  feast  of  the  god  of 
fire,  or  Xmhten-hctli^  with  numerous  human  sacrifices.  They 
thrust  living  men  into  tho  flames.  When  those  were  half 
burnt,  but  still  alive,  they  tore  out  tho  heart,  in  presence  of 
tho  imago  of  the  god.  Then  they  planted  in  the  middle  of 
tho  court  of  tho  temple  a  lofty  tree,  around  which  they  per- 
formed a  thousand  ceremonies  and  sacrifices  worthy  of  the 
founder  of  this  feast.     It  lasted  longer  than  tho  others. 

In  tlio  eleventh  month  falls  tho  festival  of  Toci^  mother  of 
the  gods;  on  the  twelfth,  that  of  the  Coming  of  the  gods ; 
on  the  thirteenth,  the  Feasts  upon  the  mountains;  the  fif- 
teenth month  was  reserved  to  the  god  of  war,  and  the  seven- 
teenth to  the  god  of  tho  rains. 

Tho  12th  of  Januaiy  commenced,  with  the  eighteenth 
month,  called  Itzcali,  another  feast  of  fire.  Two  days  pre- 
vious (the  10th),  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  they  kindled 
the  new  fire  before  tho  idol  of  the  god,  elegantly  ornamented. 
With  this  fire  they  lighted  a  grand  pile.  Tho  hunters 
brought  all  that  they  had  killed  or  fished  from  the  waters, 
and  presented  it  to  the  priest,  who  cast  it  into  the  furnace. 
Then  all  the  assistants  were  obliged  to  eat  very  hot  the  ta- 
malillos,  that  is  to  say,  little  loaves  of  corn-meal  containing 
a  small  portion  of  roasted  meat.  What  was  most  singular 
m  this  festival,  is  that,  three  successive  years,  no  human  vic- 
tim was  immolated,  and  the  fourth  year,  the  number  of  vic- 
tims surpassed  that  of  other  feasts.    The  king  in  person  and 

21 


f*-" 


<>•■    til 


1.1 


'■! 


242 


WESTEBN  MISSIONS 


1 

1  1 

ll 

^H      1 

' p  II 


iHilllil!! 


liiliil!! 


liiiii 


the  lords  presented  themselves  in  the  midst  of  this  heap  of 
corpses  to  dance,  and  all  sung,  with  respect  and  solemnity, 
the  reserved  chant,  which  they  call  in  their  language,  JVctcu- 
hicuicaliztli. 

In  a  Treatise  on  the  Idolatry  and  Superstitions  of  the 
Mexicans,  a  manuscript  of  1629,  we  perceive  that  what  par- 
ticularly attracted  the  veneration  of  the  Mexicans  was  fire. 
For  this  reason  this  element  presided  at  the  birth,  and  at  al- 
most all  the  actions  of  life  among  these  victims  of  error. 
The  infant  was  born  in  this  superstition.     At  the  moment  of 
its  birth,  fire  was  kindled  in  the  room  of  the  mother,  and  it 
was  maintained  four  consecutive  days,  without  removing  any 
of  it.     They  believed  that  if  the  live  coals  were  drawn  out, 
a  cloud  would  suddenly  appear  over  the  eye  of  the  newly 
born.     On  the  fourth  day,  the  elders  took  the  child  and  tlio 
fire  out  of  the  chamber ;  then  they  passed  the  fire  four  times 
around  the  child's  head,  twice  in  one  direction  and  twice  in 
its  opposite.     Then  the  new-born  infant  received  its  name, 
which  was  in  general  that  of  the  animal  or  of  the  element 
to  which  its  birthday  was  consecrated,— as  the  alligator,  the 
serpent,  the  tiger,  the  eagle,  etc. ;  or  the  water,  the  fire,  the 
house,  etc. 

In  the  different  sacrifices,  tapers  and  incense  almost  always 
had  a  share. 

We  also  find  among  them  a  mythological  recital,  which 
shows  that  a  personage,  formerly  covered  with  leprosy,  ob- 
tained the  empire  of  the  future  world,  for  having  passed  by 
the  ordeal  of  fire,  and  was  transformed  into  the  sun,  to  the 
great  disappointment  of  other  great  personages  who  shrank 
from  the  test.  Is  this  the  cause  of  their  respect  for  fire,  and 
the  reason  why  they  attribute  to  it  a  mysterious  power? 
The  Potawatomies  say  that  Chipiapoos,  or  the  Dead-man,  is 
the  grand  manitou  that  presides  in  the  country  of  souls  and 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


243 


there  maintains  the  sacred  fire,  for  the  happiness  of  all  those 
of  his  race  who  arrive  there.  I  have  spoken  of  it  in  my 
"  Oregon  Missions,"  p.  285.* 

Fire  is,  in  all  the  Indian  tribes  that  I  have  known,  an  em- 
blem of  happiness  or  of  good  fortune.     It  is  kindled  before 
all  tlieir  deliberations.     "  Having  extinguished  the  enemy's 
fire,"  signifies  with  them,  to  have  gained  the  victoiy.     They 
attribute  to  fire  a  sacred  character,  which  is  remarkable  ov 
crywhere  in  their  usages  and  customs,  especially  in  their  re- 
ligious ceremonies.      They  generally  maintain    mysterious 
ideas  concerning  the  substance  and  phenomena  of  fire,  which 
they  consider  supernatural.    To  see  a  fire  rising  mysteriously, 
in  their  dreams  or  otherwise,  is  the  symbol  of  the  passage  of 
a  soul  into  the  other  world.    Before  consulting  the  manitous, 
or  tutelary  spirits,  or  before  addressing  the  dead,  they  begin 
by  kindling  the  sacred  fire.     This  fire  must  be  struck  from 
a  flint,  or  reach  them  mysteriously  by  lightning,  or  in  some 
other  way.    To  light  the  sacred  fire  with  common  fii-e,  would 
be  considered  among  them  as  a  grave  and  dangerous  trans- 
gression. 

.  The  Chippeways  of  the  north  kindle  a  fire  on  every  new 
tomb,  during  four  successive  nights.  They  say  that  this 
symbolical  and  sacred  light  illumines  their  solitary  and  ob- 
scure passage  to  the  country  of  souls.  The  following  is  the 
origin  of  this  sacred  and  funereal  fire  among  this  people.  I 
received  the  legend  from  the  mouth  of  our  wortliy  Watomika. 
A  little  war-party  of  Chippeways  met  some  enemies  in  a 
large  and  beautiful  plain.  The  war-whoop  was  instantly 
shouted,  and  the  contest  commenced.     Their  chief  was  a 

On  this  occasion  he  sur- 


valiant  and  distinguished  warrior. 


*  Longfellow  has  embodied  this  legend  of  Chipiapoos  in  liis  poem, 
♦'  Hiawatlm,"  but  ascribes  it  to  a  plagiarist,  who  copied  i'ather  Da 
Smel'tt  narrative  without  the  least  credit.— jK/i^r. 


m 


i;i 


I     il 


II  i! 


^  iillil'' 


r 

II 

dllili 


iiiiiiii 


244 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


passed  himself  in  bravery,  and  a  great  number  of  Ins  enemies 
fell  beneath  the  redoubled  blows  of  his  tomahawk,     lie  was 
giving  the  signal  and  the  cry  of  victory  to  his  braves  in 
arms,  when  he  received  an  arrow  in  his  breast  and  fell  life- 
less on  the  plain.     The  warrior  who  receives  his  last  blow 
in  the  act  of  combatino;  is  never  buried.     Accordinff  to  the 
ancient  custom,  he  remains  seated  on  the  battle-field,  his 
back  resting  against  a  tree,  and  his  face  turned  in  the  direc- 
tion which  indicates  the  flight  of  his  enemies.     It  was  the 
case  with  this  chief.     Ilis  grand  crest  of  eagle  feathers  was 
properly  adjusted  on  his  head,— each  plume  denoted  a  trophy 
or  a  scalp  won  in  combat.     Ilis  face  was  carefully  painted. 
They  clothed  him  and  adorned  him  with  his  most  beautiful 
habiliments,  as  though  ho  were  yet  alive.    All  his  equipment 
was  placed  at  his  side,  his  bow  and  quiver  of  arrows,  of  which 
he  had  made  such   noble  usage  in  war,  reposing  on  his 
shoulder.     The  j^ost  of  the  brave  was  planted  before  him  in 
solemn  ceremony.     He  received  all  the  honors  due  to  an 
heroic  and  illustrious  warrior.     The  rites,  the  chants,  the  fu- 
nereal speeches,  all,  all  were  celebrated  according  to  the  cus- 
tom of  his  nation  in  similar  circumstances.    His  companions 
at  length  offered  him  their  last  farewells.     No  one  had  the 
slightest  doubt  of  his  death, — of  the  glorious  death  of  their 
great  chief.    Were  they  deceived  ?    The  sequel  of  the  legend 
will  show. 

Although  deprived  of  speech  and  of  all  other  means  of 
giving  signs  of  life,  the  chief  heard  distinctly  all  the  words 
of  the  songs  and  of  the  discourses,  the  cries,  the  lamtnita- 
tions,  and  the  bravadoes  of  hit,  warriors.  He  witnessed  their 
gestures,  their  dances,  and  all  their  ceremonies  around  the 
"post  of  honor."  His  icy  hand  was  sensible  to  the  pressure 
of  the  friendly  grasp;  his  lips,  though  pale  and  livid,  felt  the 
ardor  and  heat  of  the  larewell  embrace  and  salute,  without 


f*M 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


240 


his  being  ablo  to  return  it.    Perceiving  himself  thus  forsaken, 
his  anguish  bocanio  excessive,  as  also  his  desire  to  accom- 
pany his  companions  in  their  rcMurn  to  tlie  village.     When 
ho  saw  them  disappoar  one  after  the  other,  his  spirit  agitated 
liim  in  such  a  manner,  that  lie  made  a  violent  movement, — 
he  arose,  or  rather  seemed  to  rise,  and  followed  them.     His 
form  was  invisible  to  them.     This  was  for  him  a  new  cause 
of  surprise  and  contradiction,  which  swelled  at  once  his  grief 
and  his  despair.     However,  lie  determined  to  follow  them 
closely.    Wheresoever  they  went,  he  went  also.    When  they 
marched,  he  marched ;  whether  riding  or  on  foot,  he  was  ia 
their  midst.     He  camped  with  them  ;  he  slept  by  their  side ; 
he  awoke  with  them.     In  short,  he  shared  in  all  their  fa- 
tigues, in  all  their  troubles,  in  all  their  labors.     While  he 
enjoyed   the  pleasure  of  their  conversation,  while  he  was 
present  at  their  repasts,  no  drink  was  presented  to  allay  his 
thirst,  no  dishes  to  appease  his  hunger.     His  questions  and 
his  responses  equally  remained  without  response.      "War- 
riors! my  braves!"  cried  he,  with  bitterness  and  anguish; 
"  do  you  not  hear  the  voice  of  your  chief?     Look  !     l)o  you 
not  see  my  form  ?     You  remain  motionless, — you  seem  not 
to  see  and  hear  me.     Stanch  the  blood  which  is  flowing 
from  the  deep  wound  I  have  received.     Sutler  me  not  to  die 
deprived  of  aid,  to  famish  amid  abundance.      0  you  braves ! 
whom  I  led  often  into  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  who  have 
always  been  obedient  to  my  voice,  already  you  seem  to  for- 
get me !     One  drop  of  water  to  quench  my  feverish  thirst, — 
one  mouthful  of  sustenance  !     In  my  distress,  how  dare  you 
refuse  me !" 

At  each  halt,  he  addressed  them  in  alternate  supplication 
and  reproach,  but  in  vain.  No  one  understood  his  words. 
If  they  heard  his  voice,  it  was  rather  for  them  as  the  passage 
or  the  whispered  murmurs  of  the  wind  of  summer  through 

210 


I, 


t'  fi 


i.i 


>t|| 


'   'I 


1p:;i.: 


246 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


it' 

1     '! 


I      ' 


j  I 


illLi,l! 


;!] 


'Sk 


II  'i^;  'I 
i|,.Jli||i 


* 


tho  foliage  and  branches  of  the  forest,  unnoticed  and  un- 
heeded. 

In  fine,  after  a  long  and  painful  journey,  tho  war-party 
arrived  on  tho  suniniit  of  a  lofty  eminence,  which  overlookc^d 
the  whulo  village.     The  warriors  prepared  to  make  thoir 
solemn    entrance.      Tliey  decorated   themselves  with   their 
hundsomL'st  ornaments,  carefully  j)Minted  their  faces,  attached 
to   themselves    their   victorious   trophies,  especially   scali)s, 
which  they  fastened  on  tho  ends  of  their  bows,  tomahawks, 
and  lances.     Then  burst  forth  a  unanimous  shout,  the  cry  of 
joy  and  of  victory  of  the  Chippeways,  tho  "Kuinaudjeewug! 
Kunuuuljeewug  !    Kuinandjeewug !" — that  is   to   c-      fhey 
have  met;  or,  they  have  fought;  or,  they  have  (Jonc|uered. 
This   enthusiastic   shout   resounded  throughout   the  whole 
camp.     According  to  custom,  the  women  and  children  went 
forth  to  meet  the  warriors,  in  order  to  honor  their  return 
and  proclaim  their  praises.     Those  who  had  lost  some  mem- 
bers of  their  family,  ai)proached  with  anxiety  and  eagerness, 
to  find  out  whether  they  were  really  dead,  and  to  assure 
themselves  that  they  died  valiantly,  in  battling  with  tho 
enemy.     The  old  man,  bowed  by  the  weight  of  years,  con- 
soles himself  for  the  loss  of  a  son,  if  he  sank  like  a  bravo 
man,  arms  in  hand ;  and  the  grief  of  the  youthful  widow  loses 
all  its  bitterness  when  she  hears  the  praises  bestowed  on  tho 
manes  of  her  valiant  spouse.     The  stirring  recitals  of  the 
combat  awaken  a  martial  fire  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  youth ; 
and  children,  yet  incapable  of  understanding  the  cause  of  the 
grand  festival,  mingle  their  infantine  shouts  of  joy  and  glad- 
ness with  the  boisterous  and  reiterated  acclam;itions  of  tho 
whole  tribe. 

Amid  all  this  clamor  and  nil  those  rejoicings,  no  one 
was  conscious  of  tlu?  picsence  of  the  great  war-chief.  lie 
I'CiSxd  the  iiiforujutioii  thai  his  ik  ar  vthuious  and  his  friends 


iiihi , 


W' 


AND  MI88IONAEIES. 


247 


received  concerning  his  fortunes.    He  listened  to  the  recital 
of  his  bravery,  of  his  lofty  deeds,  of  his  glorious  death  in  the 
midst  of  his  vuuquishcd  eneuiics.     lie  heard  thera  speak  of 
the  post  of  the  brave,  planted  in  his  honor  on  the  field  of 
battle.     "Hero  I  am  I"  cried  he  ;  "I  see  !     I  w/dk  !     Look 
at  me !     Touch  mo !     I  am  not  dead  1     Tomahawk  in  hand, 
I  shall  renew  my  march  against  the  enemy,  at  the  licad  of 
my  braves ;  and  soon,  in  the  banquet,  you  will  hear  the  tones 
of  my  drum  !"     No  one  heard  him  ;  no  one  perceived  him. 
The  voice  of  the  great  chief  was  no  more  to  them  than  tho 
perpetual  din  of  the  falling  waters  from  cascade  to  cascade  at 
the  foot  of  their  village.     Impatient,  he  took  the  direction  of 
his  lodge.     There  he  found  his  wife  in  deep  despair,  cutting, 
in  token  of  mourning,  her  long  and  floating  locks,  lamenting 
her  misfortune,  the  loss  of  a  cherished  husband,  and  the 
desolate  state  of  her  orphan  children.     He  strove  to  unde- 
ceive her,  and  to  comfort  her  with  words  of  tenderness ;  he 
sought  to  clasp  his  infants  in  his  arms;  but  here  again,  vain 
and  futile  were  his  efforts ;  they  remained  insensible  to  his 
voice  and  his  paternal  caresses.     The  mother,  bathed  in 
tears,  sat  inclining  her  head  between  her  hands.     Tho  chief, 
suffering  and  dejected,  besought  her  to  dress  his  deep  wound, 
to  apply  to  it  the  herbs  and  roots  contained  in  his  medicine- 
sack  ;  but  she  moved  not ;  she  answered  only  with  tears  and 
groans.    Then  he  approached  his  mouth  close  to  the  ear  of 
his  wife,  and  shouted  aloud,  "  I  am  thirsty !     I  am  hungry  I 
Give  me  food  and  drink !"    The  woman  thought  she  heard 
a  rumbling  in  her  ear,  and  spoke  of  it  to  her  companions. 
The  cliief,  in  his  vexation,  struck  her  a  severe  blow  on  the 
brow.     She  quietly  pressed  her  hand  to  the  stricken  place, 
and  said,  "  I  feel  a  slight  headache." 

Frustrated  at  every  step,  and  in  all  his  attempts  to  make 
himself  known,  the  great  chief  began  to  reflect  on  what  ha 


lit 


i'li 


!     U 


248 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


:iill 
'^ 


liml  Iionnl,  in  his  youtli,  from  the  distingiiiBhod  jiijfglors. 
II(j  had  ioaniod  tiuit  Humeliincs  (ho  spirit  or  soul  <iuiiM  the 
body  niul  wanders  up  and  down  at  liazard,  according  to  its 
own   will   and  plcaHuro.     Ho  thercfoio   ihonght,   that  per- 
chance his  body  was  lying  on  the  fu«ld  of  battl.-,  an.l    that 
his  spirit  only  had  acconipaniod  tho  warriors  on  thoir  return 
totho  village,      llo  instantly  resolved  to/eturn  by  tho  path 
ho  liad  pursued,  at  a  distaneo  of  foiu'  diiys'  nuirch.     Tho 
three  first  days  ho  met  no  on(>.     In  tho  afternoon  of  tho 
fourth,  when  approaching  tho  batllo-lield,  he  reniarked  a  firo 
in  the  centre  of  the  j)ath  which  lie  was  following.     Wishing 
to  avoid  it,  ho  quitted  tho  track  ;  but  the  fire,  at  tho  sanio 
instant,  changed  position,  and  placed  itself  before  him.     In 
vain  ho  tried  to  go  from  right  to  left,  tho  sanio  n)ysteriou8 
firo  ever  preceded  him,  as  if  to  bar  his  entrance  to  tho  Held 
of  battle.     "I  also,"  said  ho  to  himself,  "I  am  a  spirit;  I 
am  seeking  to  return  into  iny  body;  I  will  accomplish  my 
design. ^   Thou  wilt  purify  nie,  but  thou  shalt  not  hinder  tho 
realization  of  my  project.      I  have  always  conquered   my 
enemies,  notwithstanding  the  greatest  obstacles.     This  day  I 
will  triumph  over  thee.  Spirit  of  Fire !"  he  said,  and,  with 
an  intense  effort,  ho  darted  towards  the  mysterious  flame. 
IIo  came  forth  from  a  long  trance.     He  found  liimself  seated 
on  tho  bi-Ule-ground,  his  back  supported  against  the  tree. 
His  bow,  his  arrows,  liis   chjtlies,  liis  ornaments,  his  war 
accoutrements,  the  post  of  the  brave,  all  were  in  tlio  same 
state  and  occupied  tho  same  position  in  whicli  his  soldiers 
had  left  them  on  the  day  of  strife,     lie  raised  his  eyes  and 
perceived  a  large  eagle,  perched  on  the  highest  branch  of  a 
tree  above  his  head.     Instantly  he  recognized  his  manitou- 
bird,  the  same  that  had  appeared  to  him  in  his  earlier  days 
>vhen  he  came  foith  from  the  state  of  childhood ;  the  bird 
that  he  had  selected  for  his  tutelary  spirit,  and  of  which  ho 


AND  MIBSI0NAKZB8. 


249 


had  always  worn  a  talon  Bnaponflocl  from  his  neck.  His 
manitou  had  can-fully  guardud  his  body,  and  ha.I  prevented 
the  vultuns  and  other  binis  of  proy  from  devouring  it.  The 
chief  arose,  stood  somo  minutes,  but  found  himself  weak  and 
reduced.  The  blood  from  his  woutxl  hud  ceased  to  flow, 
and  he  dressed  it.  lie  was  acquainted  with  the  efficacy  of 
c«rtam  leaves  and  roots  suitable  for  healing  bruises.  IJo 
Bought  them,  gathered  them  with  care  in  the  forest,  and 
crushing  some  between  two  stones,  applied  them,  lie 
chewed  and  swallowed  others. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  few  days,  ho  felt  sufBciont  strength  to 
alten.pt  to  return  to  his  village;  but  hunger  consumed  him. 
In  the  absence  of  largo  animals,  ho  lived  on  little  birds  that 
his  arrows  brought  down,  insects  and  reptiles,  roots  and 
hemes.     After  many  hardships,  he  arrived  at  length  on  the 
shore  of  a  river  that  separated  him  from  wife,  children,  and 
fnends.     The  chief  uttered  the  shout  agreed  upon  in  such 
circumstances,  the  shout  of  the  happy  return  of  an  absent 
tnend.     Ihe  signal  was  heard.     A  canoe  was  immediately 
Bent  for  him.     Dunng  the  absence  of  the  canoe,  the  conjec- 
tures were  numerous  concerning  the  absent  person,  whoso 
friendly  voice  of  approach  had  just  been  heard.     All  those 
who  had  belonged  to  the  warlike  band  were  present  in  the 
camp.     The  dead  alone  remained  on  the  field  of  battle. 
"Might  not  the  unknown  on  the  other  shore  be  an  absent 
hunter  ?     Or  might  not  this  shout  prove  a  bold  ruse  of  an 
enemy  to  take  the  scalps  of  the  rowers  ?"    To  send  a  canoe 
was  therefore  judged  imprudent,  because  they  were  not  sure    ' 
of  the  absence  of  an  individual  from  the  village. 

While  on  the  opposite  shore  all  these  conje^ctures  were  in- 
creasing, the  war-chief  embarks.  He  soon  presents  him- 
self before  them,  amid  the  acclamations  and  joyful  shouts  of 
all  his  relatives  and  friends.    The  Indians  eagerly  pour  forth 


m 


250 


VTESTEUN   MISfllONB 


li 


]\l.\'' 


from  every  lodgo  to  nhnko  hnndR  nnd  cclcbrftto  the  happy 
return  of  their  chief  niul  faithful  comhu'tor.  That  day  will 
1)0  for  them  ever  memorable  and  Rolenm.  They  return 
thanks  to  the  Master  of  Life,  and  to  all  the  manitous  of  tho 
Indian  calendar,  for  the  prcHervation  and  return  of  their  be- 
loved chief.  Tho  whole  day  is  consumed  in  dances,  songH, 
and  banquets. 

When  tho  first  burst  of  astonishment  and  universal  joy 
had  a  little  subsided,  and  the  usual  tranquillity  was  restored 
to  the  vilbige,  the  chief  boat  his  drum  in  order  to  convene 
his  people.  lie  related  to  them  the  whole  story  of  his  ex- 
traordinary adventures,  and  tcrmituited  his  recital  by  making 
known  to  them,  and  imposing  on  them,  "the  worship  of  tho 
sacred  and  funereal  fire" — that  is  to  say,  the  ceremony  which 
consists  in  maintaining,  during  four  consecutive  nights,  afire 
on  every  newly-closed  sepulchre,  lie  told  them  that  this 
devotion  is  advantageous  and  agrwablo  to  the  soul  of  the 
deceased;  that  tho  distance  to  the  country  of  souls  is  four 
long  days  ;  that  in  this  journey  tho  soul  needs  a  fire  every 
night  in  its  encampment;  that  this  funereal-fire,  kindled  on 
the  tomb  by  tho  near  relations  of  the  departed,  serves  to  en- 
lighten and  warm  the  soul  during  its  peregrination.  The 
Chippeways  believe  that  when  this  religious  rite  is  neglected, 
the  soul  or  spirit  is  forced  to  discharge  the  ditlicult  task  of 
making  and  maintaining  a  fire  itself,  and  that  with  tho 
greatest  inconvenience. 

Here  I  am,  dear  Father,  at  the  close  of  the  legend  of  the 
Chippeways.  I  give  it  as  I  received  it.  I  am  assured  that 
it  is  very  ancient.  The  worship  of  fire  among  our  Indians 
springs  from  the  worship  of  the  primitive  pagans,  who,  in 
order  to  purify  themselves,  leaped  over  fire,  either  a  myste- 
rious one,  or  lighted  in  honor  of  some  divinity.  The  laws 
of  Moses  prohibited  this  practice  among  the  Jews. 


▲NO   UISSIONAKIIiS. 


251 


Yet,  one  word  more,  reverend  Father,  and  I  finish  tin's 
lengthy  opistle.  If  you  will  ruiul  over  one  of  my  former 
lotturrt,  you  will  thuro  Ihid  that  in  tny  visit  to  the  Crows, 
CHinpod  at  tlio  base  of  the  Uocky  Muiiiitains,  I  wus  the  ob- 
ject of  an  extreme  veneration  among  these  Huvages.  Why, 
I  was  consiJoretl  m  tlio  boarcr  or  the  guardian  of  the  mys- 
terious tiro.  In  ertcct,  I  carried  a  box  of  phosphoric  matches 
in  the  pocket  of  my  soutane.  The  savagys  perceived  that  I 
used  them  to  light  my  pipe  ur  their  calumet.  In  a  secoud 
visit  I  lourned  the  caune,  very  futile  in  itself,  which  had  at- 
tached such  groat  importance  to  my  poor  person. 

I  recoive  from  tinie  to  time  news  from  these  poor  and  un- 
fortunate pagans.  They  do  not  forgot  the  visits  which  they 
have  receiveil,  and  I  certainly  never  forget  these  dear  chil- 
dren of  my  heart.  They  continue  to  beg,  earnestly,  every 
year,  that  missionaries  be  sent  them  to  baptize  their  children 
and  instruct  them  in  tko  holy  faith,  which  can  alone  render 
them  happy  here  and  hereafter. 

You  asked  nie  one  day,  reverend  Father,  in  an  excursion 
whicli  wo  made  together  during  my  last  visit  in  Belgium, 
"  What  !s  the  degree  of  civilization  of  the  tribes  that  you 
have  visited  ?"  I  replied  to  you:  "I  do  not  know  all  that 
Europeans  wish  us  to  comprehend  by  the  word  civilization.^^ 
These  savages  are  spoken  of  as  exceptional  beings,  possess- 
ing another  nature.  They  arc  men  like  ourselves.  They 
only  differ  from  us  because  they  are  ignorant,  poor,  and  un- 
fortunate. But  their  hearts  are  so  good  !  There  are  some 
who  have  much  natural  ability,  and  what  is  more  valuable, 
a  great  deal  of  faith  and  virtue !  Is  not  thy  close  of  my 
letter  a  confirmation  of  what  I  said  to  you  ?  What  grati- 
tude !  What  desire  to  know  God !  If,  therefore,  there  is 
question  of  civilization  of  souls  for  heaven,  oh  !  we  have  no 
need  of  European  civilizcrs.     Cause  prayers  to  be  olFerod 


I 


ft 


252 


WESTERN   MI8SIUM) 


that  Ood  may  ncnrl  us  misHionflriea,  and  wo  will  iimlio  thora 
Imppy  I 

I  commend  nil  thcao  (hnx  «avftfjp«,  our  brothron  in  Jt'«m 
Chriit,  iodec!nc<l  l>y  tlio  h.iiiiu  blood,  and  iiiclosod  in  tho 
»amo  Sacrod  IIt;art — I  conunond  tliom  all  inoHt  curnoHtly  to 
your  holy  sacrifiooH,  and  to  your  kind  prayers. 

Deign  to  believe  mc,  with  the  most  profound  respect,  rev- 
erend Father, 

RflO.  Vdo.  Bcrvus  in  Christo, 

P.  J.  Dk  Smet,  S.  J 


AMD  MIUIOlfAfilEf. 


353 


»i 


Letter  XVIIL 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  PRftcts  IIistgriqtjeb,  Brusselb. 

TU  Four  Trihet  of  tha  Black- Feet— Or o».Ventre$,  Pigam, 
Jilood-tribe,  and  JJlack-Feet  proper. 

UwivMaiTT  Of  St.  Locw,  October  28, 1865. 
Rev.  and  dear  Father: 

In  Bomo  of  my  letters  of  1840,  I  apoko  of  my  visit  ti  the 
Black-Fcct.    I  sojourned  amon^r  the  tribes,  the  Gros- Ventres, 
Pogans,  Gons  du  Sang,  and  Jilack-Feet  proper,  al,out  six 
weeks,  and  liad  the  happiness  of  regenerating  in  the  holy 
waters  of  baptism  several  hundred  children  and  adults.     In 
the  month  of  October,  after  having  bid  adieu  to  Father 
Point,  who  proposed  passing  tlic  winter  in  the  Indian  camps, 
in  order  to  sound  further  their  dispositions  in  a  religious 
point  of  view,  I  left  the  country  of  tiio  Black-Feet,  in  or- 
der to  repair  to  St.  Louis,  where  the  affairs  of  the  missions 
were  awaiting  mo.     During  the  residence  of  Father  Point 
among  those  Indian  populations,  ho  collected  many  interest- 
ing traits  concerning  the  character  and  manners  of  the  sav- 
ages; ho  had  the  kindness  to  communicate  them  to  me.     1 
sent  a  copy  of  his  relation  to  our  superiors  in  Europe ;  but 
I  do  not  think  it  has  ever  been  published.    In  the  hope  that 
It  will  aftbrd  you  pleasure,  and  that  it  will  prove  worthy  of 
your  attention,  I  transmit  to  you  some  of  the  principal  ex- 
tracts.     In  lfi4.'7.  Fafhov  Po'*"*  ^"«^+- 

22 


25i 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


'i|  jljt 


II 


;'i,!!i!l«l;!l 


"  I  tbiuk  I  can  say,  to  the  glory  of  thd  only  Author  of  all 
Good,  that  with  his  grace  I  have  not  lost  my  time  among  the 
Black-Feet.  I  have  performed  six  hundred  and  sixty-seven 
baptisms,  the  records  of  which  are  in  due  form ;  I  have  taken 
notes  of  whatsoever  appeared  to  me  suitable  for  interesting 
the  curious  or  edifying  the  pious.  During  the  winter  I  was 
accustomed,  daily,  to  give  three  instructions,  or  catechetical 
lessons,  proportioned  to  the  three  very  diflFerent  classes  of  my 
auditors.  It  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  say  that  the  prayers 
have  all  been  translated  into  Black-Foot,  and  learned  in  Fort 
Louis  and  in  the  camp  of  the  Pegans,  and  there  is  scarcely 
any  camp  among  the  Black-Feet  in  which  the  sign  of  the 
croso  .3  not  held  in  veneration,  and  even  practised,  at  least 
among  those  individuals  who  have  had  any  intercourse  with 
the  missionary. 

"  Of  the  twenty-five  or  thirty  camp-leaders,  or  chiefs,  who 
visited  me,  or  whom  I  have  visited,  there  is  not  one  who 
has  not  given  ideas  of  his  people  or  tribe  less  disadvanta- 
geous than  those  generally  entertained,  and  of  course  among 
the  whites  who  inhabit  the  Indian  Teritory  as  elsewhere. 
Among  the  different  camps,  there  is  a  species  of  emulation 
as  to  which  shall  have  the  Black-gown,  or  rather  the  mission, 
on  its  lands.  Concerning  this  article  I  have  decided  nothing. 
I  have  only  said,  that  in  case  a  Reduction  were  formed,  it 
■would  be  built  in  the  position  or  locality  which  would  afford 
the  greatest  advantages  to  all  the  tribes,  taken  collectively. 
All  found  this  idea  reasonable,  and  have  promised  that  they 
would  exert  their  utmost  endeavors  to  satisfy  the  Black- 
gowns. 

"The  Gros-Ventres  of  the  plains  appear  to  me  to  have  the 
advantage  over  the  others,  in  being  more  adroit,  more  docile, 
and  courageous ;  but  they  are  more  strongly  attached  to  their 
old  superstitions,  and  are  terrible  demanders,  as  the  Canadian 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


255 


employees  hero  call  shameless  beggars :  happily,  they  are  not 
offended  when  refused.  The  Pogans  are  the  most  civilized, 
but  Uie  most  noted  thieves.  The  Gens  du  Sang  are  well 
made,  of  fine  blood,  and  generally  less  dirty.  It  is  said  that 
the  Black-Feet  proper  are  the  most  hosi)itabl0. 

"Such  are  the  most  striking  traits  of  these  four  nations, 
so  long  at  war  with  almost  all  their  neighbors,  and  some- 
times  among  themselves,  at  least,  partially.  Since  they  have 
had  the  proof  that  the  true  prayer  renders  men  more  valiant, 
happier,  and  generally  tends  to  make  him  live  longer  (threo 
advantages  which  they  exalt  above  all  others,  and  which 
they  believe  they  perceive  united  in  the  Flat-Heads),  the 
medicine-sack,  or  idolatry,  with  many,  is  falling  into  dis- 
credit. 

"Several  traits  of  divine  justice,  against  those  who  have 
shown  themselves  less  docile  in  following  our  counsels,  and, 
on  the  contrary,  several  striking  evidences  of  protection,  in 
favor  of  those  who  followed  them,  have  contributed  greatly 
to  work  an  admirable  change  in  their  ideas.    By  that,  I  do 
not  mean  to  pronounce  them  saints :  no ;  theft  and  assassina- 
tion are  not  yet,  in  the  eyes  of  the  young,  particularly,  desti- 
tute of  attractions.      For  this  reason,  notwithstanding  the 
peace  concluded  with  the  Flat-Heads,  and  the  inclination  of 
the  great  men  to  maintain  it,  there  were  many  depredations 
committed  during  the  winter,  to  the  detriment  of  the  latter. 
But,  let  It  be  said,  to  the  praise  of  the  chiefs,  the  whole  was 
disapproved  by  them.    Nine  or  ten  thieves  have  received 
their  deserts  from  the  Pends-d'Oreilles.    This  pacification,  so 
desirable,  under  the  double  relation  of  humanity  and  social 
commerce,  is  the  condition,  sine  qua  non,  of  the  conversion 
of  the  greater  part  of  those  poor  Indians,  unless  God  is 
pleased  to  work  a  miracle,  which  rarely  has  happened,  ex- 
cept among  the  Flat-Heads. 


n  '■'  V\-,iMu] 


rA 


m 


256 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


'ill  ' 

'Ml'-', 


liiiiiiniii  i 
1 11 


!l|!!!|!r' 


I 


lilHi 

ill  I 


:|    ii    ilii 


'wm 


"  I  pursued  in  the  hunt,  during  nearly  six  weeks,  the  fifty 
lodges  of  the  Pegans,  which  are  under  the  command  of  the 
chief,  Amakzikiime,  or  '  The  Great  Lake.'  This  camp  is 
one  of  the  seven  or  eight  fractions  of  the  Pegan  tribe, 
amounting  in  all  to  about  three  hundred  lodijes.  This  tribe 
forms  a  part  of  the  lour,  known  under  the  generic  title  of 
Black-Feet.  I  have  spoken  of  them  already.  The  Pegans 
are  the  most  civilized,  on  account  of  the  relations  of  a  por- 
tion of  their  people  with  the  Flat-Heads.  If  the  Gros- 
Ventres  were  less  importunate,  I  would  willingly  entitle 
them  'the  Flat-Heads'  of  the  Missouri.  They  have  some- 
thing of  their  simplicity  and  their  bravery.  They  are  im- 
properly ranked  among  the  Black -Feet:  besides,  they  did 
not  originate  in  the  country,  they  do  not  speak  their  lan- 
guage, and  are  diflferent  in  many  respects  * 

"However  this  may  be,  these  four  tribes  may  contain 
about  a  thousand  lodges,  or  ten  thousand  souls.  This  is  not 
half  what  they  were,  before  the  contagion  of  small-pox  intro- 
duced among  them  by  the  whites.  I  believe  that  women 
constitute  more  than  two  thirds  of  them,  if  not  even  three 
quarters.  This  inequality,  so  baneful  to  morals,  is  the  result 
of  war.  In  the  visit  that  I  paid  to  the  Gros-Ventres,  divided 
into  two  camps,  I  counted  two  hundred  and  thirty  lodges. 
I  visited,  or  received  visits  from,  several  fractions  or  detach- 
ments of  Black- Feet,  and  further,  an  entire  camp  of  Gens  du 
Sang ;  and  all  were  in  such  dispositions,  that  only  a  word  on 
my  part  would  have  been  necessary  to  enable  me  to  baptize, 
with  their  consent,  all  the  children  from  the  largest  down  to 

*  The  Gros-Vcntres  of  the  plains  are  a  branch  of  the  Eapahoea,  who 
roam  over  the  plains  of  New  Mexico,  and  those  on  the  Platte  and  Ne- 
braska rivers.  They  separated  from  the  nation  a  century  and  a  half 
ago,  on  account  of  differences  between  their  chiefs.  The  Gros- Ventres 
gave  me  this  information. — (Mte  by  Father  de  Smet.) 


AND  MISSI0NAEIE8. 


257 


those  of  only  a  day  ok],  whicli  tlic  mothers  brought  mo  of 
their  own  free, will.     I  could  Lave  baptized  a  groat  number 
of  adults;  they  even  seemed  to  desire  it  ardently  ;  but  these 
desires  were  not  yet  sufticiently  imbued  with  tiie  true  princi- 
ples of  religion.     I  could  not  content  myself  with  the  per- 
suasion generally  existing  among  the  savages,  tliat  when  (l.ey 
have  received  baptism  they  can  conquer  any  enemy  what- 
soever.    The  courage  and  the  happiness  of  the  Flat-Heads 
have  inspired  them  with  this  belief.      This  explains  why 
some  wretches,  who  seek  only  to  kill  their  neighbors,  were 
the  first  to  petition  for  baptism.     All  say  that  they  would 
be  glad  to  have  Black-gowns  ;  but  why  do  the  greater  part 
desire  them  ?     Because  they  think  that  all  other  imaginable 
blessings  will  come  with  them ;  not  only  courage  to  fight, 
but  also  eveiy  species  of  remedy  to  enable  them  to  enjoy  cor 
poreal  health.    The  Gros-Ventres  conducted  to  me  a  hump- 
backed  person  and  a  near-sighted  person  that  I  might  heal 
them.     I  said  that  this  kind  of  cures  surpasse<l  my  abilities ; 
winch  did  not,  however,  hinder  them  from  making  other 
similar  requests.     But  at  last,  by  continually  repeating  to 
th«m,  that  the  Black-gowns  can  heal  souls,  but  not  always 
t^:e  body,  some  at  last  believe  me.     They  believe  also  that 
v-e  can  excite  diseases,  and  cause  the  thunder  to  roll  when 
we  are  not  satisfied.     Quite  recently,  there  was  an  earth- 
quake in  the  land  of  the  Gros-Veutres,  and  directly  the  re- 
port was  spread  abroad  that  I  was  the  cause  of  the  Earth's 
trembling;  and  that  this  shock  was  an  indication  that  the 
small-pox  was  about  to  return  into  the  country,  etc.,  and  all 
this  happened  because  the  Indians  did  not  give  attention 
sufheieut  to  the  discourse  of  the  Black-gown.     There  is  ac- 
tually a  malady  raging  among  the  Pogaus,  said  to  be  mortal, 
and  which  indeed  has  proved  tatal  to  a  few  persons.     As 
this  disease  begins  in  the  ear,  they  consider  themselves  more 

fc  k  k  t  •■•r 


li 


.,,,,5 


■!^ 


''I'  il:i 


253 


I 


ii'iil;!,  i 


'ii;i!i!|i!|i 


liilllfe: 


Ml 


lit 

ilLiiiiij;;!''; 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


justified  tlian  tLo  Gros-Ventres,  in  snying  '  that  this  punish- 
rnent  arrived  to  them  on  account  of  their  liardness  of  heart,' 
in  listening  to  the  words  of  the  Great  Spirit.     For  myself, 
what  appeared  most  striking,  was  the  sudden  death  of  a 
dozen  of  persons,  stricken  down  cither  in  their  lodges  or  in 
war,  but  at  the  moment  that  they  were  straying  mo^t  wide!/ 
from  the  right  path.     One  of  these,  belonging  to  the  Black- 
Feet,  had  robbed  me  of  three  mules ;  he  died  on  the  mor- 
row after  his  arrival  home,  and  after  finding  himself  divested 
of  his  capture,  which  were  conducted  back  to  me.     This 
death  was  certain  to  provoke  the  saying:  '  Woe  to  him  who 
robs  the  Black-gowns!'     Thus  in  one  way  or  another  Al- 
mighty God  is  preparing  the  way  fur  the  conversion  of  these 
poor  idolaters. 

^  "  To  return  to  the  Pcgans,  with  whom  I  have  lived  about 
six  weeks,  I  will  observe  that  those  who,  among  the  savages, 
call  themselves  'Great  Men'  would  be  disposed   to  listen 
wholly  to  us,  could  we  but  make  terms  with  them  on  the 
article  of  plurality  of  wives ;  that  the  youth,  in  their  turn, 
would  as  cheerfully,  if  we  could  immediately  make '  Great  Men' 
of  them  ;  but  this  being  scarcely  possible,  all  the  reasonings 
of  the  wise  can  with  difficulty  induce  them  to  refrain  from 
robbery.     If  they  can  rob  adroitly  and  in  lai-ge  value  from 
the  enemies  of  their  nation,  they  never  tail  to  do  it;  but  if 
the  theatre  of  their  legitimate  thefts  is  too  remote,  it  is  not 
rave  to  find  them  seeking  among  friendly  tribes  (for  example, 
the  Pends-d'Oreilles  or  the  Flat-Heads)  what  would  prove 
too  troublesome  to  seek  elsewhere.     A  few  days  since,  the 
tliree  brothers  of  The  Great  Lake,  to  one  of  whom  the  Flat- 
Heads  have  three  times  granted  life,  came  with  two  good 
and  haiKlsome  horses  taken  from  the  Pends-d'Oreilles,  who 
had  just  spared  the  lives  of  two  of  their  youth.     Already 
twice  before,  after  similar  misdeeds,  The  Great  Lake,  not- 


'AND  MISSION AEIES. 


259 


witbstaml.ng  my  strong  rcmonstrancoB,  had  not  the  conrage 
to  blame  them.  Among  the  Bhick-Feet,  the  rich  people, 
who  undertake  to  rebuke  tbe  wicked  who  possess  notbL 
have  naugbt  to  gain  and  all  to  lose.  As  there  is  neither 
lawful  authority  on  one  side  nor  conscience  on  the  other,  a 
second  theft,  or  a  musket-shot,  is  not  rare. 

"In  these  thefts,  however,  there  is  one  thing  which  ex- 
cuses,  to  a  certain  degree,  tbe  silence  of  the  chief  of  whom  I 
liave  just  spoken ;  it  is  the  robbe.y  of  two  horses  to  his  det- 
rnnent  committed  by  a  young  Flat-Head  ;  but  this  precedent 
cannot  certainly  justi ty  the  reprisals;  for,  besides  restitutioa 
havmg  been  promised  to  him,  he  knew  well  that  the  thief 
m  question  was  an  outcast  from  his  tribe ;  that  he  ought  not 
to  imitate  him ;  that  he  was  only  to  follow  the  example  of 
the  good  who  were  all  desirous  of  dwelling  in  peace  with 
the  Black-Feet,  etc.    But  in  vain  we  instruct  them  and  re- 
fresh their  memories,  we  discover  that  these  reasons  enter 
their  mmds  with  difBculty,  and  still  less  their  hearts,  which 
have  neither  the  uprightness  nor  the  generosity  of  their  allies. 
Aside  from  these  miseries,  and  some  false  maxims  derived 
from  the  whites,  the  remainder,  and  even  the  very  efforts  of 
hell  to  resume  a  prey  which  is  escaping  her,  all  that  is  .> 
comphshmg  at  this  moment  in  this  country  announces  that 
the  day  of  its  regeneration  is  not  remote.     What  most  con- 
soles us,  IS  that  this  regeneration,  if  things  continue,  will  be 

the  fort.^''"'  ""''''"'"'  ^"^  ^^'  ^''''"'  '^'"'^^"'■y  ^"^^"^^  ^* 
"Every  day  after  mass,  I  teach  the  children  their  prayers- 
every  evening  the  men  recall  them  to  memory  mutually ;  at  ' 
BIX  o  clock  in  the  evening  these  recite  their  prayers  in  com- 
mon in  my  own  room,  after  which  I  give  them  an  instruc- 
tion;  then  comes  the  turn  of  the  women.  Now,  these  wom- 
en, baptized  and  lawfully  married,  or  preparing  for  baptism 


t  i'  'I 


.1 


liiiii;;! 


i:'    ' 


dill 


*^l      ' 


|l!l 


■ 


I  I    Hi 


260 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


and  marriage,  oViigo  their  hushands  to  aay  (the  latter  having 
almost  all  approached  the  sacraments)  :  '  What  a  change ! 
what  a  ditterencc!'  In  fact,  this  ditierence  is  so  sensible, 
that  it  is  obviuus  to  all  the  savages  who  come  in  throngs  to 
the  fort,  and  do  not  return  without  coining  to  assure  mo, 
*  that  they  also  wish  to  learn  and  follow  the  way  to  heaven, 
since  it  is  oidy  in  that  path  and  in  heaven  that  real  happi- 
ness is  found.'  What  are  their  narrations  when  they  return 
to  their  families?  New  visitors,  better  disposed  than  ever 
in  regard  to  the  fort  and  on  the  subject  of  prayer,  easily 

make  known. 

"I  have  yet  one  consoling  piece  of  news  to  announce. 
On  my  route,  travelling  with  the  Pegan  camp,  I  baptized 
fourteen  little  infants  of  the  Crow  nation,  so  well  did  I  find 
th3m  disposed,— these  were  on  their  way  to  visit  the  Gros- 
Ventres.  They  desire  to  see  you  among  them  again.  In- 
dulging this  hope,  they  will  go  to  meet  you  in  the  spring. 
At  a  distance,  as  when  present,  Reverend  Father,  I  shall 
never  cease  to  offer  devout  and  heartfelt  petitions  for  the 
success  of  an  enterprise,  to  which  it  has  pleased  Divine  Prov- 
idence to  associate  me  frora  its  commencement.  It  will  sd- 
ways  be  allowable  for  me  to  do  by  prayers,  what  I  cannot 
effect  by  my  works.  I  auj,  etc., 

^  "N.  Point,  S.J." 

The  project  of  going  to  these  poor  Indians  has  never  been 
abandoned.  Every  returning  sprmg  they  send  pressing  in- 
vitations to  the  Black-gowns  to  come  and  establish  them- 
selves among  them,  in  order  to  be  taught  the  way  of  the 
Lord.  During  the  current  year,  we  have  received  invitations 
from  the  Black-Feet,  the  Crows,  the  Assiniboins,  the  Sioux, 
Ponkahs,  and  Omal.as,  with  many  other  tribes;  the  number 
of  these  Indians  surpasses  70,000.    A  great  number  of  in- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


2C1 


fants  and  adults  Jmve  received  baptism.  Tl.o  vast  wilderness 
that  thoy  occupy  boasts  not  a  single  priest  at  this  moment! 
Dnvmg  fifteen  years  they  supplicate  pastors  I 

Allov  ,ne,  Kevcrend  Father,  to  re(iue8li  the  aid  of  your 
prayer  and  holy  sacrifices,  and  deign  to  commend  the  poor 
Indians  to  the  kind  remembrance  of  the  pious  souls  of  your 
acquaintance,  that  the  Lord  may  condescend  to  hear  these 
unhappy  men,  and  send  good  pastors  into  this  wide-spread 
'vineyard,"  so  long  neglected,  but  which  promises  such  a 
glorious  harvest. 

In  union  with  your  devout  petitions  and  holy  sacrifices  I 
have  the  honor  to  be,  with  the  most  profound  respect  and 
highest  esteem,  Keverend  and  dear  Father, 

Your  very  devoted  servant  and  brother  in  Jesus  Christ, 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


^i••       » 


m 


m 


.M.-      iti 


ul 


202 


WESTEBN    MISSIONS 


Letter  XIX. 

To  TUB  Editor  or  tub  PuAoia  Uistoriqubs,  Biiussels. 

The  Sioux. 

Pakis,  November  17, 1850. 
Rbv.  and  dear  Fatiikr  : 

I  fiiKl  with  pleasure  in  your  number  of  the  15Ui  inst., 
the  iuterestin^r  letter  of  Fatlier  Adrian  Iloekcn,  written  to' 
rao  from  the  Flat-Head  camp,  which  I  sent  you  from  St. 
Louis  before  I  started  for  Belgium. 

Herewith  are  four  letters  of  his  brother,  Father  Christian 
Iloeken,  which  will,  I  think,  be  found  as  interesting  as  Fathci 
Adrian's.     In  a  few  days  I  shall  see  you  at  Brussels. 


Flnt  Letter  of  Father  Christian  Eoehen.—To  Father  Be  Smet. 

Sioux  County,  Post  Vermilion,  Dec.  11, 1850. 
Rev.  and  dear  Father  : 

You  have  doubtless  learned,  by  Father  Daerinck's  let- 
ters, that  I  set  out  last  June  for  the  Sioux  country.  The 
•  season  was  quite  favorable  when  I  left  Kansas,  but  I  had  a 
pretty  cold  time  as  I  crossed  Missouri,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota, 
till  I  got  to  the  post  of  the  American  Fur  Company,  called 
Post  Vermilion.  My  inability  to  find  a  good  guide  to  lead 
me  to  Fort  Pierre,  the  great  post  of  the  Missouri,  made  ma 
lose  five  days  of  excellent  weather. 


AMD  MBSIONAniEB. 


368 


crowed  backward  aud  forward,  for  the  ],«t  llnrlv-thr™  year! 
every  ,,ia,„,  ,„<,„„i„i„,  fc,„,    „„j  „f  „,„V,t      I  ![ 

r  ::' "'  'f: "'°  """■-  '"■  "■«'»• »"  "■»  ^i^^.  d  x 

t .     now  „  ertook  us.     0„  roa„l,in«  Jamo,  Uivcr  ,v„  found 

n,pa.„„bloi  tho  water  »,«  too  l,i,d.  and  too  cold  for  our 

.o,.„.  to  »w„„  ,t.    Wo  had  to  „.con,l  it  to  find  a  ford.    W„ 

travelled  e.gLt  or  »i„„  day,  without  finding  any  ,L  „r 

m.„„,  o  cro..    A  violent  north  wind  sot  in.:o  thit  we  "ere 

the  valley  of  the  nver,  but  had  not  nmdo  over  five  or  ,U 

.] .  t  wh,  h  otierod  searce  wood  enough  for  one  night.     We 

k    W  ibr'T"''"'  "T"  ""  ""'■"'  -'"'  '''«""  to  blow 
wall  hoirible  violence  ;  the  snow  fell  so  thiek  and  fist  that 

you  would  have  said  .ho  clouds  had  burst."    y^  ^itl 

«g".o  our  position,  and  how  much  wo  pitied  each  other. 

o^'caZ  °"t1  "  ""'"'f  •■  "'^  "'''  "'"""■=  -  ^-l' 
our  camp.     The  snow  and  wind  raged  with  unabated  fury 

fo.  two  days  aud  two  nights.    In  some  spots  there  were  six, 

flttcen,  and  even  twenty  feet  ofanow.    Conceive  our  position 

Kive?  wi°'r  "'  "!'"'''  ""^  "'^  "'""S  the  valley  of  James 
Kivei,  which  runs  between  two  chains  Of  mountains,  with 
deep  ravines  near  each  other. 

We  were  almost  out  of  provisions,  entirely  alone,  in  a  sad 
<leert,  where  we  could  see  nothing  but  snow;  w;  had  t 
one  to  eneourage  us,  except  the  spirit' of  divine  charity  at 
whose  voice  I  had  undertaken  this  painful  journey.    The 
snow  grew  high  around  us,  our  horses  would  not  proceed 
Ihe  gloomy  thought  that  we  could  never  cross  the  r  ve 
crushed  out  all  courage ;  but  I  was  consoled  when  I  renieio 
bered  he  words  of  Divine  Wisdom  :  "It  is  good  for  you  to 
sulier  temptation."   To  mi  up  our  misery,  rhfumatism'seled 


i>) 


M 


iii 


ill 

264 


WmEUM   MISSIONS 


both  my  kneCM,  no  tluit  I  coulil  not  set  ono  foot  before  an- 
olhcr.  Ono  of  our  liorses  fell  luino  ami  was  no  better  than 
myself.  Moreover,  the  keen  iioither  froze  luy  ears,  uoHe, 
and  feet,  unci  my  companion's  feet.  The  poor  man  com- 
plained of  violent  puins  in  the  bowels,  caused  doubtless  by 
fatigue  and  hunger.  Thu  elements  seemed  to  conspire  against 
ua;  and  it  is  only  by  a  special  assistance  of  heaven  that  wo 
did  not  peri.^a  in  lliis  strait.  **I  never  saw  aoy  thing  like  it. 
I  have  lived,  wan  cred,  travelled,  fur  thirty-five  years  all 
over  the  upper  Missouri,  but  never,  never  was  I  *n  such  a 
scrape  as  this."  Such  were  the  frequent  exclamations  ot  n  y 
guide.  For  my  part,  I  was  forced  by  a  dire  necessity  ^o 
nuvrch  against  my  inclination,  or  nither  to  drag  myself  along 
as  best  I  could.  I  gathered  up  what  little  courage  I  had 
left.  T  walked  on  in  the  snow  from  morning  to  night,  pray- 
ing and  weepWig  in  turns,  making  vows  and  resolutions. 
The  aspirations  of  the  prophets  and  apostles  were  the  suhjoct 
of  my  communications  with  ileaven.  "Confirm  me,  O  Lord, 
in  this  hour.  Rebuke  mc  not  in  thy  fury,  and  chastise  mo 
not  in  thy  wrath."  This  I  repeated  at  almost  every  instant. 
When  I  sank  to  my  waist  in  snow,  I  cried  :  "Ila/o  mercy, 
Lord,  have  mercy  on  us.  For  thee  and  for  thine  have  we 
come  unto  this  hour.  Stretch  out  thy  arm  to  lead  us.  Lord, 
we  perisL"  Meanwhile,  wc  advanced  painfldly  over  tie 
mountains  of  snow,  till  night  summoned  us  to  plant  our  i< :.  , 
which,  consisted,  bo  it  said  here,  of  a  square  piece  of  a  skin 
tent-cover.  We  sot  to  work  with  courage,  clearing  away 
the  snow,  getting  down  a  framework  and  wood  enough  for 
our  firo<'  at  ni<rht.  The  fire  is  kindled  ;  we  have  finished  our 
night  prayers ;  wc  have  only  a  morsel  to  eat.  Now,  then, 
repose  for  a  few  hours.  Impossible.  Sleep  has  fled  our  eye- 
lids ;  the  smoke  blinds  and  stifles  us,  at  almost  every  instant 
we  had  to  cough  ;  my  companion  said  that  it  was  impossible 


AMD  MBeiONABIES. 


205 


WmJM  l,„u.  ir„w  ,:,„,,,  „ii|,  ,1,0  „„iv.,  i,.,«|i„„  .„. 
r  ..»!.>,(.  ..m,„„l  „,  I  Tl,„  .„„„  „„d  ^,„„,i,.,.,.  ,.„. , , ,«  ^^ 
Wl  ""   ..»  all   „i.,,t  ,„„„.      „ft„„,  ,l,ile  li,l„„i„g  (i    ^y 

n.    6  L„ri"-    '  "  ''""S"''  ■■'""  ""''  ''«il.  Jclivcr  , 

tilr    J    "7"'         '^'""''"•^  '"■"'■^  ""^  '"""'-1'^  «>'Pl.lii-' 

My  gr  ..  ort  fear  ev«iy  ,„„n,i„g,  „„,  (|,„t  ,  eoi„|,„„ioa 
»oul.l  bn„g  word  that  „,„.  l,o„,.  «„  j.^,,  „/,„|,|  „'™°'^ 
g-  ,„  tl,„,«  Moak  „„d  stcnle  tn.  u.    „„,!  thi»  J  b„f      . 

W,CT  cofuinittwl  to  lior  caro  at  tlio  fuot  of  tl.o  cross 
ii-om  day  to  day,  my  guide  «•,«  i|«  more  „r'.ont  that 

film.  We  l,ad  to  loso  a  good  part  of  the  day  iu  u„loadi„„ 
and  reloading  i,i,„,  boc„u»  he  fell  at  aln.ost'every  top  Z 
ho  ahppery  ,„„„  ;  yet  by  care,  paiu,  fa,i,.,e,  and  Vat  Leo 
w  arnvod  „,th  oar  two  horse,  at  Post  Ve.'.uilion'^  F^ 
.sled  an.l  almost  dying  as  we  were  (having  had  nothin/To 
eat  for  ten  days,  but  a  little  bread  and  a  prtirie-heu  thTmv 

we  reaebod  Vernnhon  on  the  8th  of  December,  the  feast  of 
the  Immacu lato  Coneoption  of  the  Blessed  Virgil  Mary  To 
nr,  7  "'-."-•"-od  ,ny  soul  ou  that  h  p^  2 
I  would  need  write  m  tears,  not  in  ink,  and  you  could  trael 
my  fee  ng.,  better  than  if  delineated  ^ith  a  pen     I  was  ^t 

t::'.h  'fir,'; ""  •  tt'  ™"'  ''"■'■  '-'"'<"-  -"•"- 
vcnti  ;t':v:rorti;r;:'J:r:r:^,"7  -^  -p-^- 

•-  "t  tac  \:\ii&  wo  experitinced.    I 

28 


m 


mo 


yvKBTKusf  iimsiosa 


rebnlted  him  froqnontly  nnd  Uggtd  him  to  refrain,  but  in 
vnin  ;  tho  poor  man  hn<i  ulwHyi  tho  «amo  cxcino  :  '*  It  wn»  ft 
•ocond  nuturo  with  him,  and  h.>  meant  no  harm."  Wrotchi'd 
cxciJMi  t  I  Huft'i!n'<l  inoro  from  his  triuihluH  and  miirmiirH  tlian 
from  all  the  other  miaerioM  put  toj(c(hcr.  To  my  [imyon*  of 
blended  hope,  and  fcnr,  and  anguish,  nuccoodcd  now  livmnn 
of  gratitude  and  joy.  Instead  of  my  ordinary  aspirations : 
*♦  Enough,  Ix)rd,  it  inenout^h.  Command  th»!  win<lHund  th«'ro 
shall  be  a  great  calm.  Lord,  thou  hast  ^aid  :  A»k  and  yon 
Bhall  receive.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread,"  and  ro  on, 
I  now  exclaim  :  •'  Wo  praise  thof,  O  Lord  I  g^.  ^at  is  thy  powt-r, 
Lord  Ood  of  hosts." 

Mr.  Cliarlc'S  Larjwntcur,  whose  Jiospit.dity  you  have  ofV^n 
enjoyed  when  travelling  in  tho  dc^^ert  to  vi«it  the  Itxliaii 
tribes,  is  now  in  chnrgo  of  tho  post,  and  he  roceivr*!  us 
with  all  tho  goodness  of  a  father.  He  j)rocured  us  all  that 
ho  could.  May  the  Lord  bless  him,  for  ho  deserves  it. 
**Tho  Sajnaritan  in  the  Gospel,"  said  h(?,  "took  care  of  an 
nnfortunato  man,  and  poured  oil  and  wine  into  hU  wounds. 
Sir,"  he  added,  "you  are  welcome.  I  offer  you  all  I  have; 
I  wish  to  treat  you  as  wcdl  as  is  in  my  power."  The  dignity 
and  worth  of  charity  are  never  better  felt  than  on  similar 
occasions,  and  by  beggars  like  us. 

I  shall  spend  some  days  instructing  and  baptizing  a  score 
of  people  who  live  around  here.  1  shall  endeavor  to  recover 
from  my  unusual  hardships  before  I  start.  Li  the  mean  while 
the  snow  will  melt,  the  roads  become  better,  and  I  will  re- 
sume my  journey. 

Receive  the  assurance  of  my  respect.     Present  my  re* 
spects  to  tho  Fathers  and  Brothers,  and  believe  me, 
Rev.  and  dear  Father, 

Your  devoted  servant  and  brother  in  Christ, 

CUKISTIAN    llofiKJiN,   S.   J. 


'  I  1,1  I    \< 


IVD  MIMIONARIRll. 


867 


You  16^,  R,.v.  Futhflr,  hy  tl.i«  lator  <»f  FhI her  II.K.k.n,  that 
the  ronM.,lHtio„H  of  lu.avcn  nr«  cormtnt.lly  UminvuA  l.y  tl.o 
de«olat,o„H  of  earth.  Thi.  in  th«  ^..p,....!  uf  O-o  h.burm  ia 
tho  vin..yai(l  of  tho  Lord. 

I  havu  ooMie  to  Kmcpo  for  ml«alormriw.  [{..l^ri,,,,,  hns 
alrt'/uly  furn.Hho.l  innny.  St.  FrunciH  Xuvic-r  a.koa  for  IJel- 
gums.  Hhall  I  8uc<.oml  in  gatinj.  sot.u,  ?  Cannot  I  count 
on  my  own  land  u»  much  hb  on  llulland,  Frttuct-,  or  Italy? 


Second  Letter  of  Father  Chrutian  Uoeken,-To  Father  Elet. 

TicMum.HT  or  tmk  Platte,  Deo.  28,  1850. 

KKVEftEXD  ANU  DE-VH  FATIiEU  I'UOVINCIAL  : 

Accordinir  to  my  express  pn.miso  in  my  Ictterfi,  I  writo 
o  tell  y<.n  whero   I  havu  h..n,  and  what  I  have  done  since 
1  lett  thu  Kan-sas,  till  my  return  from  the  Upper  Missouri 

I  travelled  by  tho  way  of  We.ton,  without  a  cent  in  my 
po(;ket.  I  ha.l  to  trust  entirely  to  I'rovidence.  A  drafc  of 
ton  dollars  on  Father  Do  Smet,  enabled  mo  to  get  tho  actual 
necessaries  for  my  jourr.oy.  I  should  have  .drawa  more,  but 
It  was  ail  they  could  lot  mo  have. 

On  the  way  I  met  several  old  friends,  whoso  liberality  did 
not  m.prove  my  poverty.  I  reached  St.  Joseph  at  the  foot 
of  the  Ulaek-Sn.tko  Hills.  My  liorso  could  not  stand  the 
hard  travel.  Others  wore  of  my  opinion,  an.ong  them  was 
Mr  Scanlan,  who  utlered  mo  an  Indian  horse  to  go  as  fur  as 
i>;^llevuo,  and  also  to  take  charge  of  mine.  I  accepted  his 
kind  oiler.  In  two  days  I  was  quite  disa])pointcd.  Tlie  horse 
^jas  very  lazy,  and  weak  in  the  bargain.  I  changed  Jum  at 
the  great  I  acoa  river  for  a  good  horse,  whose  exterior  prom- 
ised  better  in  the  long  journey  before  me.  I  gave  the  man 
a  draft  on  Mr.  P.  A.  Sarpy  to  pay  the  difference. 


ul  I 


It    '.' 


ii!l:t;U;!!Jiir'i 


iillifi 


Il      ;     ill,  .llli 


tpl 

11 'i 


Ui 


H»f- 


208 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


On  reaching  Bellevuo,  I  learned  from  Mr.  Sarpy  that 
Messrs.  lirujoie  and  Argot  had  started  tlie  day  before,  and 
that  I  could  easily  overtake  thorn ;  that  there  was  no  guide 
for  me,  and  they  knew  none  about  there.  I  bought  tho 
necessary  utensils,  a  little  pot,  tin-pans,  provisions,  &c.,  and 
started  in  pursuit  of  the  gentlemen,  who  live  about  thirty 
miles  below  Post  Vermilion  at  the  mouth  of  the  great  Sioux. 
I  overtook  them  next  day  at  Beyer  River.  I  travelled  in 
their  company  seven  days,  when  we  reached  the  great  Sioux. 
I  spent  three  days  there  instructing  the  people,  and  bap- 
tized fourteen  persons.  They  treated  me  with  great  kind- 
ness, and  expressed  their  extreme  delight  at  tlie  prospect  of 
the  establishment  of  a  Sioux  mission.  They  promised  to 
pay  for  their  children's  board.  They  arc  not  only  full  of 
good-will,  but  capable  of  acting. 

As  for  the  mixed  race  of  the  Santies  (a  Sioux  tribe),  they 
receive  from  government  about  a  thousand  dollars  a  head, 
according  to  the  treaty  made  last  year  at  P^  Peter's  River 
in  the  Upper  Missouri.  You  see,  then,  Reverend  Father,  that 
if  we  defer  founding  a  mission  among  them,  they  will  send 
their  children  elsewhere.  Do  not  imagine  that  the  number 
of  these  poor  children,  all  baptized  by  Father  De  Smet  and 
others,  is  insignificant.  The  halfbreods  exist  in  great  num- 
ber's everywhere,  with  thousands  of  Indians.  Must  all  these 
children,  of  whom  several  thousand  have  already  received 
holy  baptism,  perish  for  want  of  instruction?  Are  they 
doomed  to  remain  sitting  in  the  shadow  of  death?  May  I 
not  announce  to  them  all,  the  precious  tidings  of  vocation  to 
grace  ?  I  trust,  in  God's  mercy,  the  day  of  their  deliverance 
is  at  hand ;  that  they  will  soon  perceive  the  aid  of  the 
Saviour  and  Redeemer.  My  daily  prayer  is  (above  all  at 
the  Holy  Altar)  that  their  expectations  and  frequent  appeals 
may  at  length  find  a  term. 


miUk 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


269 


I  forgot  to  say,  that  on  arriving  at  Linden,  a  village  situ- 
ated eight  niil"<  below  the  River  Nishnebatlana,  I  found 
Major  Mallock  very  dangerously  ill  with  dysentery.  IIo 
recognized  me  at  once,  and  cried  out :  "Father  lloeken,  I  am 
extremely  glad  to  see  you.  I  wished  to  see  you  much  a  long 
time ;  but  I  am  so  indisposed  at  this  moment  that  I  can- 
not converse  with  you.  Could  you  not  come  a  little  later?" 
"Most  willingly,"  I  replied:  "I  will  see  you  by  and  by." 
An  hour  after  I  returned  to  his  room  in  the  hotel ;  I  found 
him  half  asleep.  He  heard  my  voice,  and  after  having  dis- 
missed those  who  Avcre  with  him,  he  spoke  to  me  of  his 
religious  convictions.  lie  informed  me  that  he  had  been 
brought  up  in  the  Metiiodist  sect,  but  that  he  did  not  believe 
in  their  views,  and  that  his  most  ardent  desire  was  to  be- 
come a  Catholic,  lie  then  made  his  confession  to  me ;  after 
•which,  I  baptized  him  conditionally.  He  appeared  to  me  to 
be  perfectly  contented  and  resigned  to  die.  I  have  since 
learned  that  he  did  not  long  survive  his  baptism.  May  he 
rest  in  peace. 

I  commend  myself  to  your  prayers  and  sacrifices,  Rev. 
Father  Provincial, 

Your  most  humble  servant,- 

Christian  Hoeken,  S.  J. 


H 


l.f 


'   ; 


Third  Letter  of  Father  Christian  Hoelcen. — To  Father  Elet. 

St.  Joseph's,  Jan.  3, 1851. 

Rev.  and  very  dear  Father  Provincial  : 

I  was  obliged  to  wait  in  order  to  regulate  ray  account 
with  Mr.  P.  A.  Sarpy,  who  was  absent  when  I  arrived  at 
Council  Bluffs.     That  time  was  not  lost.     I  had  the  happi- 

23<> 


II  I 


\ 


illillijilj 


I 

i(|ii|iiiii 


270 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


i 

(i» 

ness  of  baptizing  a  great  number  of  cliiklrcn  of  the  Omaha 
tribe,  and  I  met  the  young  cliief,  Logan  Fontenellc.  IIo  is 
a  spiritual  cliild  of  Father  Do  Sniet.'  lie  is  very  worthy  of 
the  i)ost  he  fills  in  his  tribe,  and  will  do  nil  in  his  power  to 
convert  his  people  and  bring  them  to  the  true  faith.* 

I  quitted  Council  VAutYs  on  the  27th  of  December.  T 
arrived  on  the  River  Nishnebatlana  at  a  place  callr-l  French 
Villye.  It  is  occupied  almost  exclusively  by  Canau.ans,  by 
Iialf-brx'ds,  and  a  mixtme  of  Indians  united  among  them- 
selves. I  was  received  with  much  kindness,  and  employed 
Saturday  and  Sunday  in  confirming  and  strengthening  them 
in  the  faith. 

As  soon  as  my  arrival  was  known,  the  people  collected  on 
all  sides,  in  order  to  secure  to  their  children  the  grace  of  bap- 
tism.    You  can  easily  imagine  what  a  consolation  it  was  to 
me  after  the  fatigues  of  the  lute  journey.     On  examining  the 
state  of  things,  I  found  that  those  people  needed  instruction  in 
regard  to  the  sacrament  of  marriage.     They  listened  to  me 
with  profound   attention,  and   followed  my  advice  on  this 
point.     I  baptized  sixteen  persons,  among  whom  was  one 
converted  from  Mormonism  and  one  Sioux  squaw.     I  gave 
the  nuptial  benediction  to  three  couples.     In  the  midst  of  a 
meeting  held  in  a  private  house,  the  conversation  fell  on  the 
construction  of  a  village  church ;  each  one  ofTered  his  ser- 
vices, and  promised  to  approach  the  sacraments.     How  great 
and.  })lentifal  is  the  harvest,  but  alas,  how  kw  are  the  reap- 
ers 1     We  must,  in   truth,  but  in  sadness,  repeat  with  the 
prophet  Jeremy  :  "The  children  ask  bread  and  there  is  no 
one  to  break  it  to  them."     AVhat  a  vast  field  for  them  of 
whom  the  Scii[)lure  says:  '"IIow  beautiful  ui)on  the  moun- 


*  Ho  tVll,  ill  iS5,-),  ill  ii  coinl):it  ngainst  a  great  war-party  of  the  Sioux. 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


271 


tains  are  tho  footsteps  of  tbose  who  proclaim  the  glad  tidings 
of  peace  and  salvation."  A  month's  travelling  in  the  desert 
thiough  which  these  people  are  wandering  deprived  of  in- 
atruction,  would  bestow  on  our  missionaries  greater  experi- 
ence of  the  evils  of  ignorance  and  of  superstition,  than  many 
years  passed  in  studying  them  in  books  and  writings,  and 
one  hour  of  conversation  would  inspire  Christian  hearts  with 
sentiments  of  more  real  compassion,  than  all  the  discourses 
of  rhetoric  and  all  the  artifices  of  eloquence  could  ever  pro- 
duce. If  the  Catholics  of  civilized  countries,  and  provided 
with  all  the  advantages  that  civilization  offers  for  the  soul 
and  for  the  body,  could,  during  one  single  week,  experience 
what  is  endured  in  the  midst  of  the  ravages  and  violence  of 
this  poor  Indian  country,  their  hearts  would  open  to  the  sen- 
timents of  a  truly  active  compassion,  and  they  would  extend 
a  charitable  hand  to  relieve  the  misery  and  mitigate  the  bit- 
terness of  their  wretched  and  afflicting  condition.  There  are 
in  human  life  certain  marks  of  degradation  which,  at  first 
sight,  awaken  the  tender  sentiments  of  a  Christian  heart ; 
there  are  interior  trials  and  sorrows  which  need  to  be  related 
to  excite  charity  towards  those  who  suffer  them.  Such  are, 
my  dear  Father,  the  troubles  and  sufferings  of  the  Indians. 
Deprived  of  civilized  sooiety,  destitute  of  all  the  advantages 
of  social  life,  ignorant  of  the  very  elements  of  individual 
duty,  they  are  a  prey  to  exterior  dece'  ions,  to  interior  illu- 
sions, and  their  days  are  counted  Ly  overwhelming  evils  and 
misfortunes  as  numerous  as  the  hours  which  mark  their  du- 
ration. But  when  it  pleases  a  wise  Providence  to  permit 
that  they  be  visited  by  other  and  extraordinary  trials,  as  it  hap- 
pened to  the  Potawatomies,  who  lost  their  harvest,  their  ills 
are  increased  a  hundredfold,  and  nothing  but  the  consolations 
of  the  Gospel  are  capable  of  ameliorating  the  hard  lot  of 
barbarism  and  the  anguish  of  ignorance.    May  Heaven  deiga 


272 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


ilFr/"' 


Mrh 


to  inspire  a  largo  number  of  worthy  ministers  of  the  Clni.ch 
with  a  zeal  in  conformity  with  the  will  of  God,  and  inspire 
also  a  great  nnmbor  of  Christians  with  that  charity  which 
covers  a  multitude  of  sins,  in  order  that  they  may  come  to 
their  aid  amid  the  painf.d  suflbrings  which  they  are  at  thi« 
moment  undergoing. 

My  respects  to  all, 

Kev.  Father  rrovincial,  • 

Your  most  humhio  servant, 

Christian  Hoeken,  S.  J. 


Fourth  letter.— To  Hev.  Father  Elet. 

Bellevue,  December  23,  1850. 
Rev.  and  very  dear  Father  Provincial: 

I  left  Post  Vermilion  on  the  third  Sunday  of  Advent- 
I  descended  the  Great  Sioux  as  far  as  its  confluence.  There' 
I  met  with  Major  Ilalton,  who  is  agent  for  the  Upper  Mis- 
souri. ^ 

He  employed  all  his  eloquence  to  persuade  me  to  accom- 
pany him  as  far  as  Fort  Pierre,  which  is  the  ])08t  of  the  Little 
Missouri.     He  will  probably  stop  there,  at  about  the  middlo 
of  January.     God  alone  knows  what  the  weather  will  prove 
at  that  time,     Ho  presented  us  a  beautiful  buffiiio-robe,  and 
told  me,  that  if  we  would  establish  a  mission  in  these'  sec- 
tions, he  would  contribute  annually  a  hundred  d.^llars      An- 
other gentleman  added,  I  have  three  children  to  educate  •  I 
will  furnish  three  hundred  dollars  per  year,  and  be  assured 
continued   he,  that  every  white  mau  residing  in  this  lo' 
cahty  that  has  a  family  of  mixed  race  (and  there  are  a  rrroat 
number  of  them),  will  assist  you  to  the  best  of  their  .bilify 
—one  in  one  manner  and  another  in  anothei-,  accordino-  to 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


273 


h  ir  means  The  Brulos,  the  Jantons,  and  the  other  Sioux 
tribes,  asserub  eel  „i  council  said:  "The  missionaries  shall 
not  pensh  with  hunger  among  us;  we  will  bring  them  an 
abundance  of  buffalo-robes  and  buflhlo-mcat,  so  that  they 

Fatlu3,,  not  to  defer  any  longer.     All  the  good  that  Father 

D    Smet  and  others  have  produced  by  their  labors  and  visits 

^il  be  lost  and  forgotten,  if  these  Indians  are  disappointed 

in  tneir  expectations.     They  weigh  men's  oharacters  in  the 

balance  of  honesty;  in  their  eyes  whosoever  does  not  fulfil 

his  promises  is  culpable;  they  do  not  regard  or  consider 

v^hether  It  be  done  for  good  reasons,  or  that  there  is  an  im- 

possibility  in  the  execution.     Some  of  them  have  sent  their 

childi^n  to  Protestant  schools,  and  they  will  continue  to  do 

so  as  long  as  we  form  no  establishments  among  them 

From  all  this  you  may  easily  conclude  that  there  is  apos- 
tasy and  all  its  attendant  evils.  Immortal  souls  are  precious 
n  the  sight  of  God.  You  are  acquainted  with  my  disposi- 
tions-arrange every  thing  according  to  your  own  good  will 
and  pleasure.  My  sole  desire  is  to  endure  fatigue  and  suffer- 
ing  as  much  as  I  can  with  God's  assisting  gra^e,  and  as  long 
as  I  shall  hve.  I  have  deposited  my  hopes  in  the  bosom  of 
my  God ;  I  expect  my  recompense  from  his  goodness,  not  in 
this  hfe,  but  in  the  next. 

Yours,  <fec.. 

Christian  Hoeken,  S.  J. 

These  four  letters  of  Rev.  Father  Hoeken  show  sufficient- 
ly, m^  dear  and  reverend  Father,  the  spiritual  wants  of  these 
nations  and  thein  desire  of  being  assisted.  Apostasy  is  more 
frequent  than  is  generally  believed  in  Europe.    Oh '  if  the 


^M 


vv.  r  '■ 


"«'«i'*-  F  .: 


274 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


I 


zealous  priests  of  tlio  Continent  knew  what  wo  know,  had 
they  seen  what  we  have  witnessed,  their  generous  hearts 
would  transport  them  beyond  the  seas,  and  they  would  has- 
ten to  consecrate  their  Uves  to  a  ministry  fruitful  in  salutary 
results.  Time  presses;  already  the  sectaries  of  various 
shades  are  preparing  to  penetrate  more  deeply  into  the 
desert,  and  will  wrest  from  those  degraded  and  unhappy 
tribes  their  last  hope — that  of  knowing  and  practising  the 
sole  and  true  faith.  Shall  they,  in  fine,  obtain  the  Black- 
gowus,  whom  they  have  expected  and  called  for  during  so 
many  years  ? 

Accept,  Rev.  Father,  the  assurance  of  my  sincere  friend- 
ship. 

P.  J.  De  Smet. 


JlJSD  missionabies. 


275 


'  il 


Letter  XX. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Precis  Historiques,  Brussels, 

I 

Tributes  to  the  Flat-JTeads. 

To  the  Mother  Superior  of  the  Convent  and  Academy  of  Erps-Querbs,  betweea 

Brussels  and  Louvatn. 

Brussels,  Feast  of  St.  Xavibb,  December  8, 1856. 

Reverend  Mother: 

The  festival  of  to-day  renews  in  my  mind  the  recollec- 
tion of  the  pleasant  time  I  spent  at  Erps,  last  Monday, 

I  must  again  thank  you  for  the  kind  reception  I  received 
at  your  convent  and  academy.  ) 

The  repeated  invitations  you  have  extended  to  me,  since 
my  return  to  Belgium,  through  Father  Terwecoren, .  who 
took  me  there,  made  it  a  duty  on  my  part  to  go.  I  owed 
you  this  visit  also  personally.  Reverend  Mother,  on  account 
of  the  ties  which  always  have  existed,  and  still  exist,  betweea 
your  family  and  mine.  This  recommendation  was  made  to 
me  at  Termond.  It  was,  indeed,  pleasant  for  me  to  meet 
you,  after  thirty-five  years'  absence,  and  especially  to  find 
you  consecrated  to  God  by  the  vows  of  religion.  During 
my  long  travels  over  the  world,  I  have  always  found  in  re- 
ligious communities  the  greatest  amount  of  happiness  to 
which  man  can  aspire  here  below. 

But  independent  of  Oiis  personal  motive,  the  Academy  of 
the  Serv?nts  of  Mary  would  leave,  in  my  mind,  a  most  pleas- 
ing recollection.  I  shall  never  forget  this  little  family  festi- 
val, the  charitable  and  pious  words  addressed  to  me  by  one 


S7d 


WESTiiaN  MISSIONS 


h  i 


liiilii  i: ., 


iPlllilitVll 


of  your  scholars,  in  tlio  numc  of  her  companions ;  the  earnest 
attention  paid  by  them  to  my  nccounts,  and  the  prayers  they 
promised  mo  for  my  poor  Indians;  that  beautiful  hymn  in 
lienor  of  St.  Franins  Xavior,  the  patron  of  nussionaries ;  tlie 
happiness  of  the  little  village-children,  j^athered  in  the  day- 
school,  where  their  hearts  learn  to  love  God  and  serve  him 
by  labor ;  the  respectful  deference  of  all  the  sisters,  and  of 
your  worthy  director. 

1  thank  you,  then.  Reverend  Mother,  for  this  welcome ; 
and,  in  the  name  of  the  Indians,  I  thank  you  especially  for 
the  alms  which  the  convent  has  confided  to  me  for  them, 
and  the  vestments  which  you  prepare.  The  Indians  pray 
for  their  benefactors  ;  they  will  pray  especially  for  the  Ser- 
vants of  Mary,  and  for  their  young  pupils,  as  soon  as  I  tell 
them  all. 

As  an  anticipated  testimony  of  their  gratitude,  and  that 
the  remembrance  of  this  day  may  abide,  your  community 
ever  prosper  more  and  more,  your  young  ladies,  when  they 
come  forth  from  that  house  of  the  Lord,  preserve  preciously 
the  inappreciable  gift  of  piety  and  the  pure  lustre  of  all 
virtue,  I  propose  to  give  tj  the  first  little  Indian  girls  that  I 
baptize  after  my  return,  the  Christian  names  of  the  religious 
and  pupils  whom  I  saw  assembled,  that  they  may  pray  for 
their  benefactresses.  Please  to  prepare  a  list,  and  send  it  to 
Father  Terwecoren,  who  is  collecting  all  that  is  offered  for 
the  mission. 

I  add  to  this  letter  a  copy  of  the  tributes  of  admiration 
paid  to  the  Flat-IIeads,  as  well  as  the  Pater  and -Ave  in 
Osage.  It  is  a  little  souvenir  for  the  Academy  of  Erps- 
Querbs. 

I.  Tribute  of  admiration  rendered  to  the  Flat-Heads,  by 
an  officer  of  the  United  States  army,  sent  with  Governor 
Stevens  to  explore  St.  Mary^s  Valley.    These  lines  are  drawn 


J'fA 


AKD   MISSIONARIES. 


277 


from  a  report  recently  issued  by  order  of  government.  Ex- 
ploratiom,  dc.,/rom  the  Jfissmij,jn  to  the  Pacijic  Ocean,  p. 
308.     Lieutenant  Mullan  says :  • 

"  When  I  arrived  at  the  camp  with  my  guide,  tlireo  or 
four  men  came  out  to  meet  us,  aud  wo  were  invited  to  enter 
tlie  lodge  of  the  great  chief.  With  much  eagerness  they 
took  care  of  our  horses,  unsaddled  them,  and  led  them  to 
drink.  As  soon  as  the  camp  had  been  informed  of  tho 
arrival  of  a  white  man  among  them,  all  the  principal  men  of 
tho  tribe  collected  at  tho  lodge  of  the  chief. 

"All  being  assembled,  at  a  signal  given  by  tho  chief, 
they  prayed  aloud.  I  was  struck  with  astonishment,  for  I 
had  not  the  least  expectation  of  such  conduct  on  their  part. 
The  whole  assembly  knelt.  In  the  most  solemn  manner, 
and  with  tho  greatest  reverence,  they  adored  tho  Lord.  I 
asked  myself:  Am  I  among  Indians  ?  Am  I  among  people 
whom  ail  the  world  call  savages  \  I  could  scarcely  believe 
my  eyes.  Tho  thought  that  these  men  were  penetrated  with 
religious  sentiments,  so  profound  and  beautiful,  overwhelmed 
ino  with  auiazcnient. 

"I  could  never  say  enough  of  those  noble  aud  generous 
hearts  among  wliom  I  found  myself.  They  were  pious  and 
film,  men  of  confidence,  full  of  probity,  and  penetrated  at  the 
same  time  with  a  lively  and  religious  faith,  to  which  they 
remain  constant.  They  never  partake  of  a  repast  without 
imploring  tho  blessing  of  Heaven.  In  the  morning,  when 
rising,  and  at  night,  v  m  retiring,  they  offer  their  "prayers 
to  Ahnighty  God.  The  tribe  of  the  Flat-He;ids  among  the 
Indians  is  tho  subject  of  their  highest  esteem  ;  and  all  that  I 
Avitnessed  myself  justifies  this  advantageous  opinion." 

Here  is  another  testimony  from  the  Hon.  Isaac  J.  Stevens, 
governor  of  Washington  Territory.  Giving  orders  to  Lieut. 
M^  he  says : 

21 


» 


278 


WESTERN    MISSIONB 


i 


"  Toll  those  good  Fl.it-IIoft<lH  that  tho  words  of  Father  De 
Smet  in  their  behalf  have  been  received  by  their  Great 
Jlther,  tho  President  of  the  United  States,  and  that  all  good 
people  are  devoted  to  them.  I  would  like  to  rebuild  St. 
Mary's.  Let  them  know  that  I  am  attached  to  them,  and 
ready  to  aid  their  old  benefactors  iu  their  well-being.  This 
would  bo  most  pleasing  to  me." 

lie  wrote  to  the  Indian  agent : 

"  You  are  aheady  aware  of  tho  character  of  the  Flat-ITeada. 
They  are  tho  best  Indians  of  the  mountains  and  the  plains — 
honest,  brave,  and  docile,  they  only  need  encouragement  to 
become  good  citizens— they  are  Christians,  and  wo  are 
assured  that  they  live  up  to  tho  Christian  code." 

This  passage  is  from  the  report  to  tho  President,  in  1854. 
You  see,  reverend  brother,  that  my  culogium  at  Erps-Querbs, 
on  the  Flat-Heads,  is  also  in  the  mouths  of  the  Americans. 
It  is  the  same  with  tho  other  Indians.  The  sisters  and  tho 
pupils  may  then  rely  on  the  prayers  and  gratitude  of  the  lit- 
tle girls  who  bear  their  names.  May  these  children  of  the 
desert  have  the  same  means  of  salvation  as  the  children  of 
Belgium. 

II.  Pater  and  Ave,  in  Osage. 

Int&tze  ankougtapi   manshigta   ningsh6,   shasho    dichta 
Father  our  in  heaven       who  art,      name  thy 

ouchoupegtselou,wawalagtankapl  dichta  tshighselou.  Hakistse 

be  hallowed.  kingdom  thy  come.  Will 

ingshe    manshingta  ekionpi,   manshan     lai      ackougtsiow. 

thy  in  heaven        be  done       on  earth      be  it      done  likewise. 

Humpalc   humpake  sani    watstitse    ankougtapi  wakupiow. 

To-day        and  day     every        bread  our  to  us  give. 

Ouskan  pishi        wacshiegchepa         ankionle  ankale,  aikon 
Action       bad    to  ua  which  has  been  done,      we  it      forgive,     so 


AND  MIS8I0NABIIS. 


279 


ounkan    pishi     ankougtnpi    wiioulapiow.       Ouskaa     pishi 

•otiou       bod  oura  tin  forgive.  Action         bad 

ankagchotapi    wasatikupi     niiikow.       Nansi   pishi     ingsho 

to  do  by  ua  load  u*  not.  Bat         •▼!!         fi-oin 

waliotsi  sapiow.     Aikougtslou. 

dtiliver       ua.  Amon. 

Ilawai    Marie,         Wagkonda  odikupi      oclishailow. 

Ilftil        Mary,      of  tho  Orcut  Spirit         of  gifts  tiiou  ort. 

Wagkonda        sliodiguo     accliow.      Wakoki       odisariha 
Tbo  Grout  Spirit      willi  tlieo  is.  Tlio  woiiicn      mnong  them 

odichoupegtsiow.       Jusua         tsaitso  oulugrau     ingshe 

tliou  urt  bloMHod.  Josiis      of  tlio  womb        tiio  fruit  tiiy 

ougoupegtsiow.     Wiilflgui  Marie      Wagkonda,       Ehonh, 
ia  blosaed.  Holy       Mury,  of  the  Groat  Spirit   tho  Mother, 

wawutapiow,  dekousi         antzapi       aitchanski.  Aikougtsiou. 
pray  for  ua         now    and  nt  tbo  moment  of  our  death.         Amou. 

Accept,  reverend  Mother,  this  trifling  homage  of  my  grati- 
tude, and  express  the  same  sentiments  to  your  worthy 
Director,  community,  and  pupils. 

Your  servant  in  Christ, 
'^  P.  J.  De  Sm£T. 


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Photographic 

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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


280 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


Letter  XII. 

To  THE  Editor  op  the  Precis  Historiques,  Brussels. 

Oregon  Missions. 

Univbbbitt  of  St.  Louis,  July  16,  1857. 
Reverend  Father  : 

Since  my  return  to  St.  Louis  I  have  been  very  busy,  and 
not  very  well,  in  consequence  of  the  sudden  transition  from 
a  cold  climate  to  one  where  the  thermometer  stands  at  90*. 
Fahrenheit.  I  have  not  been  able,  thus  far,  to  send  you  any 
interesting  aiticle.  I  have  lately  received  a  long  and  beauti- 
ful letter  from  Father  A.  Hoeken,  in  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
It  appeared,  on  the  11th  instant,  in  the  Freeman! s  Journal^ 
■which  you  receive  regularly.  I  shall  try  and  send  you  a 
translation. 

I  inclose  to-day  a  short  notice  of  Father  Eysvogels.  If 
you  give  it  a  place  in  your  Precis,  it  will  give  pleasure  to 
the  friends  and  acquaintances  of  that  good  Father  in  North 
Brabant. 

As  you  propose  terminating  a  volume  of  my  letters,  you 
■would  do  well,  perhaps,  to  add,  if  there  is  time,  a  letter  to 
the  St.  Louis  Zearfer,  dated  June  19,  1855,  which  you  can 
have  translated. 

-,     _,  St.  Louis,  June  19, 1855. 

Mr.  Editor  : 

From  a  letter  received  from  the  Rocky  Mountains  about 
two  months  ago,  I  learn  that  the  Indians,  in  our  diflferent 
missions  in  Oregon,  continue  to  give  grent  aatisfactiou  t(i 


AND  MISSIONARIES.  ^Rl 

their  m,8s,-onnn-es,.by  their  zeal  and  fervor  in  fh.  l    ^ 
^ees  on.e,i,ion.     "  I  hope,"  writes  F^V^^'^^^ 
holy  Sacrament  of  Confirm -itinn   ,.-1  •  i  '     "^''^  the 

tion».     The  an-ivil  of  Hr„      ."""'"{  '°  "«"r  good  resolu- 

i..'.d  boon  a,„:;:::/o^:n;"::„  :'t;'"'  -^  ^-^"»'^. 

»t.'.n.ling  that  one  Inlf  rf  ,'  ,      "'^'■'''  ^'°''  "»'«!«'• 

to  over  .i.  1,™;      V    r     ''"'"'»  g-«  co„fi™„ti„„ 

rha  COHV0ISIO118  to  our  J.olv  f.,itl,    if  „  ','""''^"'' 

»all  .„,„ber  of  our  n,issio„4    1  LCcorr''"'  '"l 
encouraging.    Rrtl.or  Joset  .ays  that  in  7  "^  ""'' 

raul's  alone,  an.ong  the  ShuyeTi     o^  L  tf  TTT  "'  ^'• 
l»d  one  hundred  !™d  sixty  th.^.  '"''"'°''  ''« 

tie  year.     He  further  t  tofi  '       ,Z7  rr"  ""*  "' 
«f  the   United   States  Ar^      '  it  "    L     Flat'H'  f  ""'"• 

g*a  o«ce:rd^:r:::rr  detr^^^^  isv'^"- 

among  the  Indians,  promisiw  witl„l  7  f  ,  ''°  '^'^ 
speal  well  of  them  fnh  fp^r '  "qo,  ™'  f'^"  ^"'  '<• 
-If,  in  his  report  to  the  Pres^d^rLf  ".euld  S^  '''"■ 
Diends  them  ]iiH,]v  anrJ  ooU.  .,       ^"'tea  btates,com- 

and  assistan«..°;' They  aesr.        ^7"™^"'  ''°'  "'" 
lloatls,  "  the  best  I„diT„,3'  ^        '  "^"'^'"^  "'  *<=  P'"'" 

jo-st!  brave,  ^d  ^  rtht"::::  r "'"'  '"^  '"^'-^ 

b«»...e  good  eitizens;  11.07  .^0^       °"'T""'°' *» 

assured  that  they  live  up  tHhe  ri     ^        t   ""^  "^   ^''^ 
J-  iue  up  to  the  Christiau  code,"  &o 

Most  respectfully,  dear  sir,  ' 

Your  humble  and  obedient  servant, 


i4> 

ml 


I    i 


H 
if  I 


P.  J.  De  S 


HET,    S.  J. 


282 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


i'iiipAniii 
1 


illi 


You  see,  Reverend  Father,  that  I  have  cited  the  testimon 
of  Governor  Stevens,  as  to  our  Indian  missions.  The  details 
which  I  shall  give  you  in  thi?  letter  emanate  from  the  same 
source,  as  honorable  as  it  is  truthful.  They  form  part  of  an 
official  report  on  the  state  of  Oregon,  sent  by  that  magis- 
trate  to  the  President  of  the  United  States,  in  1855,  and 
published  by  order  of  government. 

Speaking  of  the  tribe  of  Pends-d'Oreilles,  the   governor 

says:  ,  .      j.   i. 

"  I  am  indebted  to  Dr.  Suckley  for  many  interestmg  iacta 
in  relation  to  the  mission  of  St.  Ignatius,  established  among 
the  lower  Pends-d'Oreilles  ;  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  more 
beautiful  example  of  successful  missionary  labors.  The  mis  ■ 
sion  was  established  nine  years  ago,  by  Rev.  P.  J.  De  Smet, 
the  whole  country  at  that  time  being  a  vast  wilderness. 

»  For  the  first  two  years  the  missionaries  lived  in  skiu 
lodges,  accompanying  the  natives  on  their  periodical  hunU 
and  visits  to  their  fishing- grounds. 

"During  this  time  they  found  it  very  hard  to  live.     Their 
food  consisted  principally  of  camash-roots  and  dried  berries, 
which  at  best  contain  very  little  nourishment.     They  raised 
some  wheat,  which  they  boiled  in  the  beard,  for^  fear  of 
waste ;  parching  some  of  the  grains  to  make  a  substitute  for 
coffee.    After  this,  they  slowly  but  steadily  increased  in  wel- 
fare.   Each  year  added  a  small  piece  to  their  tillable  ground. 
They  then  obtained  pigs,  poultry,  cattle,  horses,  agricultural 
implements,  and  tools.     Their  supplies  of  tools,  seeds,  gro- 
ceries, clothing,  &c.,  are  shipped  direct  from  Europe  to  the 
Columbia  river.      There   are  two  lay  brethren  attached  to 
the  mission.    One  of  them,  Brother  Francis,  is  a  perfect  Jack- 
of-all-trades,     lie  is  by  turns  a  carpenter,  blacksmith,  gun- 
smith, and  tinman ;  in  each  handicraft  he  is  a  good  work- 
man.   The  other,  Brother  McGean,  superintends  the  farming 


AND  MISSIONAKIES.  283 

operations.    They  both  worked  hard  in  brindnrr  the  m,'. 

™  S  a""-r  ""■•'■--Si',  a  ::.sr::i? 
ware,  a  Uacs™,,.::!:":  Si"::":  :;r;  ";,""■ 

Blann  ,l.;f,.       1.  ?        '"'="  '"  "■«  account  of  their 

atZ'ot!!^  °°    """''"  ""'""-"'"g  «''»"«=l-  at  their  fi 
attempts,  the.r  repeated  failures,  and  their  final  triumph 

The  present  condition  of  the  mission  is  as  follows :       ^ 
fo.  J  e'  ^tV  V*'  ''°"'^'  "  S^'  ^"^^'-'ial.  com- 

0         r  ho  ;^f  •''"'"  °f '"S^'f""-  accommodation 
'™:r/      "'"^  '"""^  the  winter,  and  an  excel- 


I 


in 


ii 

1 

-  1* 

h 

■ 
■  ■ 

t  ■ 

il 
II 

i 

284 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


1 


"The  mission  farm  consists  of  jibout  ono  Imndrcd  and 
sixty  acres  of  cleared  land  :  wlieat  (sprinfj),  barley,  onions, 
cabbages,  parsnips,  peas,  beets,  potatoes,  and  carrots.  Father 
lloeken  suys,  that  if  the  children  see  carrots  growiiifj,  they 
must  eat  some.  Says  he,  '  1  must  shut  my  eyes  to  the 
theft,  because  they  cannot  resist  the  temptation.  Any  thing 
else  than  carrots,  the  little  creatures  respect.' 

"The  Indians  are  very  fond  of  peas  and  cabbages,  but 
beets,  and  particularly  onions,  they  dislike.  The  other  pro- 
ductions of  the  farm  are  cattle,  hogs,  ])0ultry,  butter,  and 
cheese.  Around  the  mission  buililings  are  the  houses  of  the 
natives.  These  are  built  of  logs  and  hewn  timber,  and  are 
sixteen  in  number.  There  are  also  quite  a  number  of  mat 
and  skin  lodges.  Although  the  tribe  is  emphatically  a  wan- 
dering tribe,  yet  the  mission  and  itp  vicinity  are  looked  upon 
as  head-quarters. 

"  When  the  missionaries  came  among  the  Indians,  they 
found  them  to  be  a  poor,  miserable,  half-starved  race,  with 
an  insufficiency  of  food,  and  nearly  naked  ;  living  upon  fish, 
camash  and  other  roots,  and,  as  the  last  extremity,  upon  tho 
pine-tree  moss.  Tliey  were  in  utter  misery  and  want.  The 
whole  tinle  was  occupied  in  providing  for  their  bellies,  which 
were  rarely  full.  They  were  of  a  peaceable  disposition, 
brave,  good-tempered,  and  willing  to  work. 

"  Of  spiritual  things  they  were  utterly  ignorant.  Unlike 
the  Indians  east  of  the  mountains,  they  had  no  idea  of  a 
future  state  or  of  a  Great  Spirit,  neither  had  they  any  idea 
of  a  soul ;  in  fact,  they  had  not  woixls  in  their  language  to 
express  such  ideas.  They  considered  themselves  to  be  ani- 
mals, nearly  allied  to  the  beaver,  but  greater  than  the  beaver, 
'  because,'  they  said,  '  the  beaver  builds  houses  like  us,  and 
he  is  very  cunning  ;  true,  but  we  can  catch  the  beaver,  and 
he  cannot  catch  us,  therefore  we  are  greater  than  he.' 


J  red  and 
y^  onions, 
.    Father 

»"{?.  they 
ea  to  the 
iny  thing 

•ages,  but 
)ther  pro- 
itter,  and 
ses  of  the 
,  and  are 
3r  of  mat 
lly  a  waa- 
iked  upou 

ans,  they 
race,  with 
upon  fisli, 
upon  tho 
int.  The 
ies,  which 
isposition, 

.  Unlike 
idea  of  a 
'  any  idea 
iguage  to 
to  be  ani- 
le beaver, 
ice  us,  and 
iaver,  and 
e.' 


AND   MiSSIONAlflES. 


2S5 


They  thought  that  when  thoy  died,  that  wa«  the  last  of 
t  ie.n      Wh.lo  thus  ignorant,  it  was  nothing  un.-onunon  for 

-Mu  to  bury  the  very  old  and  the  very  young  alive,  because, 
they  said,  these  cannot  take  care  of  themselves,  and  we  can- 
not take  care  of  them,  and  they  had  better  die.' 

"The  missionaries  had  an  arduous  labor  before  them, 
They  commenced  by  gaining  the  good-will  of  the  inhabit- 
ants,  by  means  of  sn.ail  presents,  and  by  manifesting  great 
interest  m  their  welfare,  in  attendance  upon  the  sick,  and  by 
g.vu,g  the  poor  creatures  food,  seeds,  and  instruction  as  to 
farmuig. 

"The  Indians  could  not  help  seeing  that  no  ],opes  of  tem- 
poral or  personal  benefit  induced  the  missionaries  thus  to 
labor  among  them. 

"The  missionaries  told  them  that  they  had  a  Creator, and 
that  he  was  good.     They  told  them  of  their  Saviour,  and  of 
he  manner  of  addressing  hha  by  prayer.     To   this   they 
listened,  and  believed.  ^ 

"  The  people  look  up  to  the  Fathc,  and  love  him.     They 
say  that  if  the  Father  should  go  away,  they  would  die. 

"  Before  the  advent  of  the  missionaries,  the  inhabitants, 
though  totally  destitute  of  reIi<,nou8  idea..,  still  believed  that 
evil  and  bad  luck  emanated  from  a  fabulous  old  woman  or 
sorceress.     They  were  great  believers  in   charms  or  medi- 
cine.    Every  man  had  his  particular  medicine  or  charm,  and 
trom  It  they    expected  either  good  or  ill.     With  some  it 
would  be  the  mouse,  with  others  the  deer,  buffalo,  elk,  sal- 
mon, bear,  &c. ;  and  whichever  it  was,  the  savage  would 
carry  a  portion  of  it  constantly  with  him.     The  tail  of  a 
mouse  or  the  fur,  hoof,  claw,  feather,  fin,  or  scale,  of  whatever 
It  might  be,  became  the  amulet.    When  a  young  man  grew 
up,  he  was  not  yet  considered  a  man  until  he  had  discovered 
His  medicine.    His  father  would  send  him  to  the  top  of  a 


I 

■r  i 


I 


^^1 

1     K 


Hi 


286 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


high  mountain  in  the  neigliborhood  of  the  present  mission ; 
hero  ho  was  obliged  to  ifimain  without  food  until  ho  had 
dreamed  of  an  animal ;  the  first  one  so  dreamed  about 
becoming  his  medicine  for  lifu.  Of  course,  anxiety,  fatigue, 
cold,  and  fasting,  would  render  his  sleep  troubled,  and  replete 
with  dreams.  In  a  short  time  he  would  have  dreamed  of 
what  he  wanted,  and  return  to  his  home  a  man. 

"The  missionaries  say  that  these  Indians  are  industrious, 
and  not  lazy,  as  compared  to  other  Indians ;  that  they  are 
willing  to  work  ;  but  the  land  is  so  poor,  and  so  little  of  it  is 
susceptible  of  cultivation,  tliat  thcjy  cannot  farm  enough. 

"The  mission  farm,  as  already  stated,  contains  about  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres.  This  is  kept  up  for  the  natives,  as 
but  a  few  acres  would  bo  amply  sufficient  for  the  mission- 
aries. Each  Indian  who  wishes  it,  is  allowed  a  certain 
amount  of  land  to  cultivate  for  his  own  use,  and  is  provided 
with  tools  and  seeds. 

"  Before  reaching  the  mission  of  St.  Ignatius,  Dr.  Suckley 
found  four  lodges  of  the  Pends-d'Oreilles  about  half  a  mile 
above  tlie  outlet  of  Lake  Deboey.  These  lodges  were  all 
built  after  the  fashion  of  the  Sioux  lodge,  with  the  single 
difference  that  they  were  covered  with  mats  of  reeds,  instead 
of  skins.  These  mats  arc  made  of  rushes  laid  parallel,  and 
fastened  together  at  their  ends.  For  convenience  in  travel- 
ling, the  mats  are  rolled  into  cylindrical  bundles,  and  are 
thus  easily  carried  in  canoes.  Dr.  Suckley's  provisions  being 
out,  he  concluded  to  lodge  all  night  with  AU-ol-stargh,  the 
head  of  the  encampment.  The  other  lodges  were  principally 
occupied  by  his  children  and  grand-children.  '  Shortly  after 
our  entrance,'  says  Dr.  Suckley,  '  All-ol-stargh  rung  a  little 
bell ;  directly  the  lodge  was  filled  with  the  inhabitants  of  the 
camp,  men,  women,  and  children,  who  immediately  got  on 
their  knees,  and  repeated,  or  rather  chanted,  a  long  prayer, 


AND  MIS6I0NAEIE8. 


287 


^  -n  their  own  lanfftingo.  Tl.o  repetition  of  a  few  pious  sen- 
tencc«,  an  invocation,  and  a  hyn.n,  closed  the  exercinos.  In 
thoso  the  squaws  took  as  active  a  part  as  the  men  Tho 
promptness,  ferven(;y,  and  earnestness,  all  showed,  was  pleas- 
ing to  conteinpluto.  Tho  participation  of  the  squaws  in  tho 
exercises,  and  tho  apparent  footing  of  equality  between  them 
and  the  men,  so  much  unlike  their  condition  in  other  savai/e 
tribes,  appear  remarkable.'  " 

Tho  following  trait,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Doty  in  his  report 
atiists  their  good  fnith  and  decision  of  character  :  * 

•'On    the   l8t  of  November,  six   Pends-d'Orei'llc  Indians 
came  to  this  post,  and  ddivcred  up  all  the  horses  that  were 
stolen.   It  appears  that  they  were  taken  by  two  young  Pends- 
d'Oreilles,  and  run  to  tho  iVnds-d'Oreille  camp,  then  huntin^r 
beyond  tho  Muscle-Shell,  under  tho  command  of  a  chief  of  that 
nation,  'Alexander.'     The  horses  were  recognized,   by  the 
stamps,  as  belonging  to  tho  whites,  and  the  young  men  con- 
fessed having  stolen  them  at  this  post.     A  council  was  held 
and  It  was  determined  that  it  was  a  great  sin  to  steal  horses 
from  the  white  men  who  were  friendly  to  them ;  that  tho 
wishes  of  the  'Great  Soldier  Chief,'  who  had  been  at  St.  Mary's 
>vere  known  to  them,  and  they  had  promised  compliance' 
with  them  ;  that  stealing  these  horses  would  give  the  Pcnds- 
d'O.-eilles  the   name  of  liars   and   triflers ;  that  they   had 
always  borne  a  good  name,  and  v^ere  asliamed  to  have  mean 
things  said  of  them  now  ;  therefore  the  horses  must  be  taken 
back  by  the  great  chief  and  five  principal  men  of  the  tribe 
Accordingly,  they  came  boldly  to  the  fort  and  delivered  up 
the  horses,  without  asking  any  reward,  but,  on  the  contrary 
expressing  much  sorrow  and  shame   that  they  had  been 
taken. 

"Thus  the  six  Indians  proved  themselves  not  only  honest 
but  brave  in  tho  highest  degree,  coming,  as  they  did,  five 


i;i 


MM 


288 


WESTKUN    MISSIONS 


(lays  and  nights  into  nn  onomy's  country,  simply  to  do  an  net 
of  justice  to  struiigcis.  Tlu'y  rciiiHiiKMl  hun!  two  diiys,  iiud 
on  dopurtinf;  were  accompanied  I'V  Mr.  Cliuk  and  uiyself 
fit'tocn  or  twenty  milos  on  tluir  journey." 

In  regard  to  the  Flat- Heads,  the  governor  says: 
"Lieut.  Mullan,  in  his  journal  of  September  20,  relates 
the  following  incident,  illustrativo  of  their  noble  character  : 
'  Wo  had  to-night  a  great  luxury,  in  a  string  of  mountain 
trout,  brought  into  camp  by  one  of  our  Klat-Head  friends. 
Our  Indians  displayed,  ou  this  occasion,  a  trait  worthy  of 
notice.  They  were  without  moat  or  any  thing  to  eat.  Wo 
were  without  meat,  but  had  a  little  flour  left  from  our  small 
stock  of  provisions.  These  being  the  first  fish  caught  by  any 
of  the  party,  they  insisted  on  our  taking  them.  This  we 
refused,  but  they  insisted,  until  wo  were  compelled  to  accept 
thera.'  lie  continues :  ♦  I  cannot  say  too  much  of  the  three 
noble  men  who  were  with  us.  They  were  firm,  upright, 
reliable  men,  and,  in  addition  thereto,  entertained  a  religious 
belief,  which  they  never  violated.  They  did  not  partake  of 
a  meal  without  asking  the  blessing  of  Go\l ;  they  never  roso 
in  the  morning  or  retired  at  night  without  ofl'cring  a  prayer.  ■ 
They  all  knew  the  country  well,  and  were  excellent  guides 
and  hunters.  When  they  could  not  find  fresh  meat,  tliey 
accepted  the  remnants  from  our  scanty  table  with  the  great- 
est contenteduess.' 

The  Flat-Heads  recognize  Victor  as  their  chief,  an  Indian 
of  the  same  name  being  the  chief  of  the  lower  Pends- 
d'Oreilles.  These  two  tribes  usually  accompany  each  other 
in  their  great  hunting  expeditions  east  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. The  heroism  of  the  Flat-Heads  in  battle,  and  their 
good  faith  towards  others,  have  been  the  theme  of  praise, 
both  from  priest  and  layman." 

Speaking  of  the  Cceui'-d'Alenes,  the  governor  says : 


%■ 


AND   MIU8I0NAHIB>. 


289 


"Tlie  CcDur-crAldno  Tiidluns  arc  undor-cBtimnted  by  all 
tho  nuthoriiioH.  Tliey  liiivu  Homo  Bovcnty  lodguH,  and  num. 
bur  about  live  hundred  inhubitaiitH.  Tbcy  are  in\ich  indebted 
to  the  good  Katlicrh  for  tiiakitig  coiiMidorablo  progress  in  agii- 
cultiiro.  They  have  abandoned  polygamy,  have  been  tanght  , 
tho  rudiments  of  Christianity,  and  arc  greatly  improved  inj 
morals  and  in  tho  comforts  of  life.  It  is  indeed  cxtraordi- 
nary  what  the  l"'athers  have  done  at  tho  Co  ur-d'Alono  mis- 
sion. It  is  ou  the  Copur-d'Alono  river,  about  thirty  miioa 
from  tho  baso  of  tho  mountains,  and  some  tou  miles  above 
tho  Co-'ur-d'Alone  lake. 

"They  have  a  8{)lendid  church,  nearly  finished   by  tho 
labors  of  tho  Fathers,  brothers,  and  Indians;  a  largo  barn; 
a  horso-mill  for  Hour;  a  small  rango  of  buildings  for  tho 
accommodation  of  tho  priests  and  brothers  ;  a  store-room  ;  a 
milk  or  dairy  room ;  a  cook-room,  and  good  arrangements 
for  their  pigs  and  cattle.     They  aro  putting  up  a  new  rango 
of  quarters,  and  the  Indians  have  some  twelve  comfortable 
log-cabins.     The  church  was  designed  by  tho  superior  skill 
of  tho  mission,  I'cro  Kavalli,  a  man  of  skill  as  an  architect, 
and  undoubtedly,  judging  from  his  well-thumbed  books,  of 
various  accomplishments.     Tore  Gazzoli  showed  mo  his  sev- 
eral designs  for  the  altar,  all  of  them  characterized  by  good 
taste,  and  harmony  of  proportion.    The  church,  as  a  speci- 
men of  architecture,  would  do  credit  to  any  one,  and  has 
been  faithfully  sketched  by  our  artist,  Mr.  Stanley.     Tho 
massive  timbers  supporting  the  altar  were  from  larch-trees 
fivefeet  in  diameter,  and  were  raised  to  their  place  by  the 
Indians,  with  the  aid  simply  of  a  pulley  and  a  rope. 

"  They  have  a  large,  cultivated  field,  of  some  two  hun- 
dred acres,  and  a  prairie  of  from  two  to  three  thousand  acres. 
They  own  a  hundred  pigs,  eight  yokes  of  oxen,  twenty  cows, 
and  a  liberal  proportion  of  horses,  mules,  and  young  animals, 

20 


fi 


M 


i 

m 

.  iiM 

§90 


WEBTKRN   MI88IOrrS 


"  The  ludinns  liavo  Icnrncd  to  ploupjh,  sow,  till  tho  po\\ 
gonarally,  milk  cows  (with  both  harulu),  unci  do  nil  the 
dnties  incident  to  a  f»nn.  Thoy  arc,  somo  of  them,  exiMTi 
wood-cuttora ;  and  I  saw  at  work,  gottinj;  in  th«  harvest, 
iomo  thirty  or  forty  Indiana.  Thoy  aro  thinking  of  cutting 
out  a  good  trail  to  St.  Mary's  valley,  over  th«  Cceiir-d'Aloue 
mountains  (on  the  route  passod  ov«r  by  m«).  They  need 
agricultural  implements  and  soods. 

"The  cotmtry  generally,  on  both  sides  of  the  CcDur-d'Aldne 
river  and  lake,  is  rolling  and  beautiful.  It  is  interspersed 
■with  many  small  prairies,  all  atlbrding  excellent  grazing,  and 
most  of  them  adapted  to  crops.  The  rolling  country  could 
be  easily  cleared,  and  would  yield  excellent  wheat  ainl  vege- 
tables. I  have  no  question  that  all  the  country,  from  tho 
falls  of  the  Coeur-d'Aldno  to  some  distance  above  tho  mis- 
sion, and  thence  to  near  Clark's  Fork,  a  region  of  three  or 
four  thousand  square  miles,  is  adapted  to  grazing  and  culture, 
A  small  portion  will  be  overflowed  by  tho  melting  of  the 
mountain  snows,  and  another  portion  will  bo  occupied  by 
the  mountain  spurs  or  isolated  peaks,  capable  simply  of  fur- 
nishing timber  and  fuel. 

"  The  Fathers  state  that  a  better  site  for  the  mission  is 
furnished  by  a  river  flowing  from  the  southeast  into  the 
■western  end  of  the  Cceur-d'Aleno  lake,  and  called  by  them 
St  Joseph's  river.  It  is  said  to  bo  larger  than  the  Coeur- 
d'Al^ne  river,  to  have  many  prairies  along  its  banks,  and  the 
country  generally  to  abound  in  wood,  grass,  and  water. 

**  On  the  return  of  the  Indians  from  the  field  above  spoken 
of,  I  talked  to  them  in  these  words  : 

" '  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  and  to  find  that  you  are  under 
Buch  good  direction.  I  have  come  four  times  as  far  as  you 
go  to  hunt  the  buffsdo,  and  have  come  with  directions  from 
the  Great  Father  to  see  you,  to  talk  with  you,  and  to  do  all 


AND   MISSION  A  nil 


201 


I  cnn  for  your  wolfarp.  I  m>o  culfivnt.xl  fii.I<l«,  a  rhnrrh, 
housp*,  cfttllo,  Atiil  tliti  fruits  of  the  R..il— tlm  wuikn  c.f  y.,iir 
own  IihikU.  Tho  (irfHt  Fiitlutr  will  Ihj  tlfliglit.;.)  to  hear  thin, 
mid  will  ceitHinly  uHHiHt  you.  (Jo  on  ;  and  «vory  fiunily  will 
liRvc  n  liouHfl  nrnl  n  piitoh  of  pfiound,  and  ovory  one  will  be 
well  clotluMl.  I  liavn  talked  with  tho  nia<k-F.-..t,  who  prom- 
m  to  umko  pt'aco  with  all  tins  Indian  tribes.  Listen  to  th« 
Goo<l  Fathor  and  to  tho  (iood  HruthcrH  who  hihor  for  your 
good.' " 

Those  dotnils  are  drawn  from  tlio  Mcsnago  of  tho  Prcsidont 
of  tho  United  Staton  to  ConffroHs,  IRfj-t-fl,  p.  410, 

Accept,  dear  Fathor,  my  roHpectful  hotnago,  and  beliovo  tn« 
Your  devoted  servant  and  brother  in  ChriHt, 

1'.  J.  Djfi  Suet,  S.  J. 


im 


IM 


y 


fern 

Milil 

1 

292 


WESTEIIN   MISSrONS 


Letter  XXII. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  PRfecis  IIistouiques,  Brussels, 
Indians  of  the  EocTcy  Mountains. 

St.  Fbancis  Xavieb,  Feb.  4,  1856. 
Kevehend  Father : 

I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Father  Adrian  Hoe- 
ken,  dated  Oct.  1 8th,  at  the  united  camp  of  the  Flat-Heads 
and  Pends-d'Oreilles,  in  the  region  of  the  great  plains,  east 
of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  Indians  had  gone  there  to 
attend  a  peace  council,  held  by  order  of  the  United  States 
Government.  Father  Hoeken  attended,  at  tho  express  re- 
quest of  Governor  Stevens  of  Washington  Territory,  who 
shows  every  regard  to  the  Fathers,  and  whose  reports  to  the 
President  evince  the  lively  interest  which  he  feels  in  the 
improvement  of  the  material  condition  of  the  Indians  under 
our  care. 

The  Black-Feet,  Crows,  Flat-Heads,  Pends-d'Oreilles, 
Koetenays,  and  a  great  number  of  chiefs  of  other ^  tribes 
attended  the  council.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  stipula- 
tions of  the  new  treaty  will  be  ratified  by  government.  On 
the  one  hand,  the  Indians  promise  to  remain  at  peace  with 
each  other ;  on  the  other,  the  whites  and  the  government  to 
wd  them  by  subsidies  in  educating  their  children,  and  by 
farming  implements  to  encourage  them  to  leave  their  no- 
made  life  and  settle  in  a  convenient  spot  on  their  own  lands. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  council  will  succeed  in  realizing 
this  laudable  plan. 


AND  MI&bJON  ARIES. 


298 


Father  Iloeken  tells  me  that  the  Indians  of  our  missions 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  (the  Flat-Heads,  Penda- 
d'Oreilles,  Pointed  Hearts,  Koetenays,  Skoyelpies,  or  Eet- 
tle-]'\ills  Indians),  continue,  by  their  regular  and  religious 
conduct,  to  give  the  missionaries  great  consolation.  He 
speaks  also  of  the  good  dispositions  of  the  Ci'ows,  Black- 
Feet,  and  others  east  of  the  mountains.  These  Indiana 
earnestly  solicit  missionaries.  Colonel  Cummings,  superiu- 
tendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  who  presided  at  the  great  Indian 
council,  assured  me,  on  his  recent  return  to  St.  Louis,  that 
all  the  tribes  of  the  Uj)per  Missouri  are  devoted  to  us.  He 
would  gladly  use  his  influence  with  government  for  the  suc- 
cess of  our  missions  among  them.  Before  settling  out  for 
the  council,  he  expressed  the  wish  that  I  should  accompany 
him  to  the  great  Indian  assembly. 

In  a  letter  from  Father  Congiato,  dated  at  Santa  Clara, 
Nov.  29,  that  superior  of  the  mission  of  California  and  Ore- 
gon, speaks  of  his  visit  to  the  missions  in  the  mountains.  It- 
lasted  three  monihs.     The  following  is  an  exti'act : 

^  "The  Fathers  do  much  good  in  that  remote  region.  Like 
his  venerable  brother,  who  died  on  the  Missouri  in  1851, 
Father  Hoeken  does  the  work  of  several  men.  He  has  suc- 
ceeded in  uniting  three  nations  and  a  part  of  the  Flat-Heads 
to  live  together  under  his  spiritual  direction. 

"  All  was  going  on  wonderfully  well  when  I  was  in  Ore- 
gon ;  now  all  is  on  fire.  The  Indians  who  live  on  the  banks 
of  the  Columbia,  from  Walla  W;-,lla  to  the  Dalles,  have  joined 
the  Indians  of  northern  California  to  make  war  on  the 
Americans  or  whites,  and  commit  great  depredations.  One 
of  the  Oblutes  (Father  Pandory)  has  been  massacred.*  The 
last  tidings  which  I  received  from  the  mission  of  St.  Paul  at 


i 


'  '' 


*  Tiiis  was  ii  false  report. — Ed. 
25» 


294 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


Colville,  inform  mo  that  your  Indians  express  their  horror 
for  the  excesses  coniraitted  by  the  Indians,  and  show  no  dis- 
position to  join  them  in  the  war.  Pray  for  your  fellow  mis- 
fiionarics  in  Oregon." 

Several  papers  in  this  country  ascribe  the  origin  of  this 
war  to  the  cruelties  perpetrated  by  some  whites  on  a  peace- 
ful and  tranquil  baud  of  Indians.  I  do  not  think  that  our 
Indians  will  take  the  least  part  ifi  the  difficulties  which  have 
arisen  between  the  Americans  and  the  Indians  of  the  Colum- 
bia. They  will  doubtless  follow  the  advice  of  their  mission- 
aries, who  will  divert  them  from  such  a  great  danger  and  so 
sad  a  misfortune.  Moreover,  they  are  at  some  distance  from 
the  actual  seat  of  war,  and  have  had  but  trifling  intercourse, 
if  any,  with  the  hostile  tribes. 

Do  not  forget  me  in  your  prayers,  and  obtain  prayers  for 
the  wretched.  I  have  just  received  a  second  letter  from 
Father  Hoeken  from  the  Flat-Head  village  of  St.  Ignatius. 
He  has  several  nations  there.  The  conversions  among  the 
Indians  have  been  very  consoling  and  numerous  in  the  course 
of  last  year. 

In  the  name  of  all  the  Indians  east  and  west  of  the  moun- 
tains, he  implores  me  to  revisit  them.  The  Black-Feet, 
Crows,  Assiniboins,  Sioux,  and  others,  incessantly  implore 
our  aid.  These  nations  are  still  very  numerous.  They  num- 
ber over  70,000  souls.  Religious  should,  before  all  else,  be 
children  of  obedience.  It  is  the  aflnir  of  our  superiors.  We 
shall  never  cease  to  aid  them  by  our  prayers,  and  commend 
them  in  a  special  manner  to  the  remembrauce  of  the  pious. 

Yours  &c. 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


V 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


295 


U. 


Letter  XXIIl 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Paftcis  Historiqubs,  Brusselb.  ] 

The  FUtnEeadt. 

Univebsity  obp  St.  Lothb,  April,  18M. 
Rev.  and  dear  Father  : 

I  inclose  you  a  letter  of  Rev.  Adrian  Hoeken,  brother  of 
Christian,  whose  death  you  announced  in  your  volume  of 
1853,  p.  394. 

Father  Adrian  Hoeken  was  one  of  my  earliest  travelling 
companions  in  the  missionary  journeys  to  the  FlaMIeada. 
He  has  ever  labored,  and  still  continues  to  labor  here,  with 
the  greatest  zeal  and  the  most  plentiful  results. 

I  have  this  month  dispatched  a  perfect  cargo  to  him,  by  a 
steamer  which  was  about  to  ascend  the  Missouri.  It  con- 
sisted of  tools,  clothes,  and  provisions  of  all  kinds.  The  boat 
will  go  2,200  miles ;  then  the  goods  will  be  transported  by 
a  barge,  which  will  have  to  stem  the  rapid  current  about  600 
miles;  there  will  then  remain  300  miles  by  land  with  wag- 
ons, through  mountain  defiles :  so  that  the  objects  shipped 
in  April  can  arrive  among  the  Flat-Heads  only  in  the  month 
of  October. 

We  hope  that  other  evangelical  laborers  will  soon  go  to 
assist  Father  Hoeken.  The  savages  request  missionaries. 
We  shall  perceive  that  this  mission  and  that  of  the  Penda- 
d'Oreilles  continue  to  flourish. 


l! 


u 


H' 


V 


296 


WESTERN   MIS8ION8 


Flat-IIead  Camp,  in  the  Black-F£et  CouNTnr,  Oct.  18, 1855. 
Rev.  and  deak  Father  : 

You  will  thank  God  with  mc  for  the  consoling  incicaso 
he  has  given,  through  the  intercession  of  Mary,  to  the  mis- 
sions which  you  began  in  those  renir.to  parts.     During  the 
many  years  that  I  have  passed  among  the  Kalispeis,  tifough 
my  labors  have  not  been  light  and  my  trials  have  been  nu- 
merous enough,  God  has  given  mo  in  abundance  the  conso- 
lations of  the  missionary,  in  the  lively  faith  and  sincere  piety 
of  our  neophytes.     We  have  found  means  to  build  a  beau- 
tiful church,  which  has  excited  the  admiration  of  even  Lieu- 
tenant Mullan,  of  the  United  States  army.     This  church  is 
Bufficicntly  large  to  contain  the  whole  tribe,  and  on  Sundays 
and  festival  days,  when  our  Indians  have  adorned  it  with 
what  ornaments  of  green  boughs  and  wild  flowers  the  woods 
and  prairies  supply;    when   they  sing  in  it  their  devout 
hymns  with  fervor  during  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  it  might  serve 
as  a  subject  of  edification  and  an  example  to  quicken  the 
zeal  of  many  an  old  Christian  congregation.    There  is  among 
our  converts  a  universal  and  very  tender  devotion  to  the 
Blessed  Viigin,  a  most  evident  mark  that  the  Faith  has  ta- 
ken deep  root  in  their  souls.     Every  day,  morning  and  even- 
ing, the  families  assemble  in  their  lodges  to  recite  the  rosary 
in  common,  and  daily  they  beg  of  Mary  to  thank  God  for 
them  for  having  called  them  from  the  wild  life  of  the  forest, 
spent  as  it  is  in  ignorance,  rapine,  and  bloodshed,  to  the 
^  blessings  of  the  true  religion  and  its  immortal  hopes. 

The  Kalisi)els  have  sustained  a  great  loss  in  the  death  of 
their  pious  chief,  Loyola,  with  whose  euphonious  Lidian 
name,  Msowish-simmcficc-itshin,  « The  Grizzly  Bear  Erect," 
you  are  familiar.  Ever  since  you  baptized  this  excellent 
Indian  chieftain,  he  was  always  steadfast  in  the  faith.    He 


AMD  MISSI0NAKIE8. 


297 


d«.Iy  mado  progress  in  virtue,  and  became  more  fervent  in 
l.e  pracfees  of  our  holy  religion.  He  was  a  father  to  hi. 
people,  firm  ,„  rep,e,«iug  their  disorders,  and  zealous  in  ex- 
.or  ,ug  then,  to  be  faithful  to  the  lessons  of  the  u.issiouarie,., 
I.,  the  severe  trmis  to  which  Diviuo  Providence  subjected 
"s  vntue  .„  h„  latter  yca„,  when  within  a  short  sp  ,ee  of 
.me  he  lost  his  wife  and  three  of  his  children,  he  bore  the 

Durmg  h  s  last  dlness,  of  several  weeks'  duration,  he  seemed 

more  aux.ous  to  do  son.ething  still  for  the  promo  ion  of  nfety 

among  h,s  people,  than  to  have  his  own  great  sutrerings  at 

cv,ated.     H,s  death,  which  occurred  on^ho  6th  of  Ipri 

thTt  fJ^'Tr  "  T"  ^'''"'  "'''°'^^''-  There  was  not 
that  fel^  «a,  mg  over  h,s  tomb  which  Indian  usage  is  said 

to  presenbe  for  a  departed  chieftain  ;  they  wept  over  him 

tl«  best  of  fathers,  and  their  grief  for  the  good  Loyola  has 
no  d,ed  away  even  at  this  day.  Never  had  I  tlaought  our 
Indians  capable  of  so  much  affection.  ^ 

As  Loyola,  contrary  to  Indian  customs,  had  not  designated 
h.s  suceessor,  a  new  chief  was  to  bo  chosen  after  his  deal 
The  election,  to  which  all  had  prepared  themselves  by  prayer 
to  ead  them  to  a  proper  choice,  ended  in  an  almo"u„a    : 
»ons  voice  for  Victor,  a  bravo  hunter,  whom  you  as  yet 
mns  remember  as  a  man  remarkable  for  the  generosity  of 
Lis  disposition.     His  inauguration  took  place  amid  gi  Jre 
oicing.     All  the  warrio«,  in  their  great  costume,  marched 
to  his  wigwam,  and  ranging  themselves  around  it,  discharged 
Ue.r  muskets,  after  which  each  one  went  up  to  him  to  plefge 
1.  s  allegiance,  and  testify  his  affection  by  a  hearty  shaking 
of  hands.    During  the  whole  day,  numerous  parti/s  came  t! 
the  mission-house  to  tell  tho  Fathers  how  much  satisfiictiou 


'     t 


i    1 


ll 


y 


t    i 


ir 


298 


"WE8TEEN   MISSIONS 


tliey  felt  at  liaving  a  chief  whose  goodness  had  long  since 
won  the  hearts  of  all.  Victor  alone  seemed  sad.  He  dreaded 
th^  responsibility  of  the  chieftainship,  and  thought  he  should 
be  ui'ublo  to  maintain  the  good  eft'ectcd  in  the  tri})0  by  the 
excellent  chief  Loyola. 

In  the  following  winter,  when  there  was  a  great  scarcity, 
and  almost  a  famine  among  the  Kalispels,  Victor  gave  an  af- 
fecting proof  of  his  generous  self-denying  charity.  lie  dis- 
tributed his  own  provisions  through  the  camp,  hardly  reserv- 
ing for  himself  enorgh  to  sustain  life,  so  that  on  his  return 
from  the  annual  chase,  when  yet  at  a  considerable  distance 
from  the  village,  he  fell  exhausted  on  the  ground,  and  had 
to  be  carried  by  his  companions,  to  whom  on  that  very  day 
he  had  given  all  the  food  that  had  been  sent  up  to  him  for 
his  own  use. 

The  Indian  is  often  described  as  a  being  devoid  of  kind 
feelings,  incapable  of  gratitude,  and  breathing  only  savage 
hatred  and  murderous  revenge ;  but,  in  reality,  he  has,  in 
his  untamed,  uncultured  nature,  as  many  generous  impulses 
as  the  man  of  any  other  race,  and  he  only  needs  the  soften- 
ing influence  of  our  holy  religion  to  bring  it  out  in  its  most 
touching  forms.  We  need  no  other  proof  of  it  than  the  grate- 
ful remembrance  of  all  the  Indians  of  their  late  chief  Loyola, 
the  generous  character  of  Victor,  and  the  affectionate  feel- 
ings of  all  our  converted  tribes  for  their  missionaries,  and  es- 
pecially for  you,  to  whom  they  look  up  as  to  their  great 
benefactor,  because  you  were  the  first  to  bring  them  the 
good  tidings  of  salvation. 

Among  our  dear  Flat-Heads,  Michael  Insula,  or  Red 
Feather,  or  as  he  is  commonly  called  on  account  of  his  small 
stature,  "The  Little  Chief,"  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the 
power  which  the  Church  has  of  developing  the  most  amiable 
virtues  in  the  fierce  Indian.    He  unites  in  his  person  the 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


299 


jjll 


greatest  bravery  with  the  tenderest  piety  and  the  gentlest 
manners.  Known  atnicl  his  warriors  by  the  red  feather 
which  he  weal's,  his  approach  is  enough  to  put  to  flight  the 
prowling  bands  of  Crows  and  Black-Feet,  that  have  frer^uent- 
ly  infested  the  Flat-Head  territory.  He  is  well  kno'vn  and 
much  beloved  by  the  whites,  who  have  had  occasion  to  deal 
with  him,  as  a  man  of  sound  judgment,  strict  integrity,  and 
one  on  whose  fidelity  they  can  implicitly  rely.  A  keen  dis- 
cerner  of  the  characters  of  men,  he  loves  to  speak  especially 
of  those  whites,  distinguished  for  their  fine  qualities,  that 
have  visited  him,  and  often  mentions  with  pleasure  the  so- 
journ among  them  of  Colonel  Robert  Campbell,  of  St.  Louis, 
and  of  Major  Fitzpatrick,  whom  he  adopted,  in  accordance 
with  Indian  ideas  of  courtesy,  as  his  brothers.  He  has  pre- 
served all  his  first  fervor  of  devotion,  and  now,  as  when  you 
knew  him,  one  can  hardly  ever  enter  his  wigwam  in  the 
morning  or  evening  without  finding  him  with  his  rosary  in 
his  hands,  absorbed  in  prayer.  He  cherishes  a  most  affec- 
tionate remembrance  of  you,  and  of  the  day  he  was  baptized; 
he  longs  ardently  to  see  you  once  more  before  his  death, 
and  but  yesterday  he  asked  me,  when  and  by  what  road  you 
would  return.  In  speaking  thus,  he  expressed  the  desire  of 
all  our  Indians,  who  all  equally  regret  your  long  absence. 

It  was  proposed,  during  the  summer  of  1854,  to  begin  a 
new  mission  about  one  hundred  and  ninety  miles  northeast 
of  the  Kalispels,  not  far  from  the  Flat-Head  Lake,  about  fifty 
miles  from  the  old  mission  of  St.  Mary's,  among  the  Flat- 
Heads,  where  a  convenient  site  had  been  pointed  out  to  us 
by  the  Kalispel  chief,  Alexander,  your  old  friend,  who  often 
accompanied  you  in  your  travels  in  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Having  set  out  from  the  Kalispel  mission  on  the  28th  of  Au- 
gust, 1854,  I  arrived  at  the  place  designated  on  the  24th  of 
September,  and  found  it  such  as  it  had  been  represented — a 


I 


I  ' 


I  it  1 


^00 


WESTEUN   MISSIONS 


beautiful  region,  evidently  fertile,  uniting  a  useful  as  well  as 
pleasing  variety  of  woodland  and  pniirie,  lake  and  river— the 
wholo  crowned  in  the  distance  by  the  white  suniuiit  of  the 
mountains,  and  suflicientiy  rich  withal  in  lish  and  game.     I 
Bhal!  never  forgot  the  emotions  of  hope  and  fear  that  filled 
my  heart,  when  for  the  first  time  I  celebrated  mass  in  this 
lonely  spot,  in  the  open  air,  in  the  presence  of  a  numerous 
band  of  Kalispels,  who  looked  up  to  me,  under  God,  for  their 
temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  in  this  now  home.    The  place 
was  utterly  uninhabited,— several  bands  of  Indians  live  with- 
in a  few  days'  travel,  whom  you  formerly  visited,  and  where 
you  baptized  many,  while  others  still  remained  pagan.     I 
■was  in  hope  of  gathering  these  around  mo,  and  God  has  been 
pleased  to  bless  an  undertaking  begun  for  his  glory,  even 
beyond  ray  expectation.     In  a  few  weeks  we  had  erected 
several  frame  buildings,  a  chapel,  two  houses,  carpenter's  and 
blacksmith's  shops;  wigwams  had  sprung  up  at  the  same 
time  all  around  in  considerable  numbers,  and  morning  and 
evening  you  might  still  have  heard  the  sound  of  the  axe  and 
the  hammer,  and  have  seeu  new-comers  rudely  putting  to- 
gether lodges.    About  Easter  of  this  year,  over  one  thousand 
Indians,  of  different  tribes,  from  the  Ui)per  Koetenays  and 
Flat-Bow  Indians,  Pends-d'OreiUes,  Flat-Heads,  and  Moun- 
tain Kalispels,  who  had  arrived  in  succession  during  the  win- 
ter, when  they  heard  of  the  arrival  of  the  long-desired  Black- 
gown,  made  this  place  their  permanent  residence.    All  these 
Indians  have  manifested  the  best  dispositions.     Besides  a 
large  number  of  children  baptized  in  the  course  of  the  year, 
I  have  had  the  happiness  to  baptize,  before  Christmas  and 
Easter,  upwards  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  adults  of  the  Koet- 
enay  tribe,  men  of  great  docility  and  artlessuess  of  character, 
•who  told  me  that  ever  since  you  had  been  amonf>-  them 
some  years  ago,  they  had  abandoned  the  practice  of  gam- 


/ 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


801 


bling  and  other  vices,  and  cherished  the  hope  of  bein^  in- 
Btructod  one  day  in  the  religion  of  the  Cireat  Spirit. 

By  the  bcginnjr.g  of  spring,  our  good  Brother  McGean 
lad  cut  some  eighteen  thousand  railn;    and  phiced  under 
cuIt,vat.on  a  large  field,  which  pronmes  to  yield  a  very  plen- 
tiful harvest.      Lieutenant  Mullar,,   who   npet.t   the   winter 
anjong  the  Flat-Headn  of  St.  Mary's,  has  procured  me  n>uch 
vahmble  aid  .n  founding  this  mission,  and  has  all  along  taken 
a  hvely  mterest  in  its  prosperity.     I  know  not  how  to  acquit 
the  debt  of  gratitude  I  owe  this  most  excellent  officer,  arid  I 
can  only  pray,  poor  missionary  as  I  am,  that  the  Lord  may 
repay  hm  generosity  and  kindness  a  hundredfold  in  blessin/s 
ot  time  and  eternity.     We  are  still  in  want  of  a  great  many 
useful  and  important  articles-indeed,  of  an  absolute  neces- 
Bity  in  the  establishing  of  this  new  mission.     I  am  confident, 
nmny  friends  of  the  poor  Lidians  may  be  found  in  the  United 
States,  who  will  most  willingly  contribute  their  mite  in  such 
a  charitable  undertaking-we  will  ho  most  grateful  to  them 
and  our  good  neophytes,  in  whose  l.half  I  make  the  appeal' 
will  not  cease  to  pray  for  their  kinu  benefactors.  ' 

Please  make  arrangements  with  the  American  Fur  Com- 
pany to  have  goods  brought  up  by  the  Missouri  river  to  Fort 
Benton,  whence  I  could  get  them  conveyed  in  wagons  across 
tlie  mountains  to  the  misoionary  station. 

The  Kight  Itev.  Magloire  Blanchet,  bishop  of  Nesqualy, 
^vho  in  his  first  visit  confirmed  over  six  hundred  Lidians,  al- 
tliough  he  arrived  unexpectedly,  when  a  great  many  families 
had  gone  to  their  hunting  grounds,  among  the  Kalispels  and 
our  neighboring  missions,  inteaded  to  gi.e  confirmation  here 
this  summer.  I  was  very  desM'ous  of  cho  anival  of  Uiis  pious 
prelate,  who  has  done  so  mu  ;h  g.ocJ,  by  his  fervent  exhorta- 
tions, to  strengthen  our  neot.'jyt<fl  in  the  faith.  It  had  al- 
ready  been  agreed  upon  tha .  r.  party  of  Indians  should  go  to 

^0 


m 


liil 


Fi" 


1 1 


%-l  [ 


:.lr 


802 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


meet  him  m  far  m  the  village  of  the  Sacred  ITeart,  among 
the  Cojur-d'Alenes,  about  two  hundred  miles  ft-om  8t.  Igna- 
tiua'  mission,  when  our  plans  were  broken  up  by  a  message 
from  (Jovernor  Stevens,  summoning  all  our  Indians  to  a 
council,  to  bo  held  some  thirty  miles  oft",  in  St.  Mary's  or 
Bi'ter  Hoot  valley,  at  a  place  called  llellgate,  whence  a 
number  of  chiefs  and  warriors  were  to  accompany  liim  to  a 
Grand  Council  of  Peace  among  the  Black-Feet.  I  was  ab- 
sent on  a  visit  to  our  brethren  among  the  Cceur-d'Alones, 
the  Skoyelpies,  and  other  tribes,  when  I  received  an  invita- 
tion from  the  governor  to  be  present  at  the  councils.  I  had 
found,  in  my  visit,  all  our  missions  rich  in  good  works  and 
conversions,  though  very  poor  in  the  goods  of  this  world — 
all  the  Fathers  and  Brothers  were  in  the  enjoyment  of  ex- 
cellent health.  Father  Joset,  among  the  Skoyelpies,  at  the 
Kettle  Falls  of  the  Columbia,  had  baptized  a  largo  number 
of  adults  and  children.  During  the  late  prevalence  of  the 
small-pox,  there  were  hardly  any  deaths  from  it  among  the 
neophytes,  as  most  of  theiu  had  been  previously  vaccinated 
by  us,  while  the  Spokans  and  other  unconverted  Indians, 
who  said  the  "  Medicine  (vaccine)  of  the  Fathers,  was  a  poi- 
son, used  only  to  kill  them,"  were  swept  away  by  hundreds. 
This  contrast,  of  course,  had  the  eflfect  of  increasing  the  in- 
fluence of  the  missionaries. 

With  mingled  feelings  of  joy  ac  all  the  good  efifected,  and 
of  sorrow  at  the  miserable  death  of  so  many  of  God's  crea- 
tures— thankful  to  God  for  all  his  blessings,  and  submissive 
to  the  mysterious  judgments  of  his  Providence,  I  set  out,  ac- 
companied by  my  neophytes,  for  the  Black-Feet  territory. 
The  grand  council  took  place  in  the  vicinity  of  Fort  Benton. 
Our  Indians,  who  were  in  great  expectation  of  seeing  you 
■with  Majors  Cumraings  and  Culbertson,  were  indeed  much 
disappointed  at  not  finding  you.    The  Black-Feet,  although 


AMD  MISSI0NAUIE8. 


803 


;i 


they  are  still  imicli  given  to  thieving,  and  have  commitdd 
more  dcpreclHtioiiH  than  over,  during  the  hist  Hpring,  are  very 
anxious  to  see  you  agnin,  and  to  have  niissionaries  among 
them.  (Jovernor  Stevens,  who  has  always  shown  himself  a 
real  father  and  well  afl'ected  towards  our  Indians,  has  ex- 
pressed a  determination  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  forward  the 
success  of  the  missions.  'J'ho  cstablishtnent  of  a  mission 
among  the  IJlack-Feot  would  bo  the  best,  and  indeed  the  only 
means  to  make  them  observe  the  treaty  of  peace  which  has 
just  been  concluded.  Until  missionaries  are  sent,  I  intend, 
fiom  time  to  time,  to  visit  the  Blnck-Feet,  so  as  to  do  for 
them  what  good  I  may,  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  conver- 
sion of  the  whole  tribe.  I  hope  a  new  mission  may  soon  be 
realized,  for  it  is  absolutely  necessary,  both  for  their  own 
sake  and  for  the  peace  of  our  converted  Indians  on  the  west- 
ern side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 

From  all  I  have  seen,  and  from  all  I  have  learned  during 
this  last  trip,  I  may  say,  that  the  Crows  and  all  the  tribes  on 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Missouri,  as  well  as  the  various  bands 
of  Black-Feet,  where  so  many  children  have  already  been 
regenerated  in  the  holy  waters  of  baptism,  by  you  and  by 
Father  Point,  are  anxious  to  have  the  Black-gowns  perma- 
nently among  them,  and  to  learn  "  the  prayer  of  the  Great 
Spirit."  The  field  seems  ripe  for  the  harvest.  Let  us  pray 
that  God  may  soon  send  zealous  laborers  to  this  far-distant 
and  abandoned  region. 

The  chief,  Alexander,  the  Kalispel,  Michael  Insula,  and 
the  other  Flat-Head  chieftains,  the  leaders  of  the  Koetenay 
and  Flat-Bow  bands,  and  all  our  neophytes,  beg  to  be  re- 
membered in  your  good  prayers— they,  on  their  part,  never 
forget  to  pray  for  you.     Please  remember  me. 

Your  devoted  brother  in  Christ, 

Adrian  Hqekhk  S.  J. 


Ir'i 


•HW^' 


irn 


804 


N   MIBAIONS 


!  .u|i 


The  followinjj  oxtrnct  from  n  h'ttor  of  Uov.  T.  Conjrinto, 
•U|K'rior  of  lliu  Misniuim  of  tli«  Suri,.fy  of  Jf»(ii«  in  Culifurnift 
fttul  UivKon,  written  ninco  tlic  (•..iimi.iuunK'nt  of  Indian  hou- 
tilities,  and  tluttHl  Huntii  Cliirn,  'JUlh  of  lant  November,  will 
peiliujm  prove  not  niiintcrt-Btin;;^  to  tilths.,  who  take  an  inter- 
est in  the  imccei«  of  our  Catholic  miwhiou.  Uov.  T.  Coq- 
giato  writOH: 

*'0u  my  return  from  our  misHlons  nmong  the  Hocky 
Mountains,  which  it  took  mo  throo  months  to  vinit,  I  found 
hero  a  loiter  of  yours  full  of  edifying  nowH,  for  which  I  am 
very  thankful.     Our  collogo  horo  \h  progressing.     The  num- 
ber of  memborH  of  our  Society  is  on  the  iiuMvano,  and  roaches 
nearly  forty.     All  over  California,  our  holy  rdigicm  is  nuikinjj 
groat  progress,  and  priests  and  churches  nro  multiplying.     In 
tho  Oregon  misnions  our  Fathers  are  doing  much  good.     At 
the  mountains,  Fnther  Adrian  Iloeken,  a  worthy  brother  of 
Father  Christian  Iloeken,  tho  apostle  and  zealous  missionary 
among  tho  I'otawi.tomies,  who  died  in  1861,  while  on  his 
way  to  the  Upi)er  Missouri  tribes,  has  succeeded  in  bringing 
three  nations  and  a  i)art  of  the  Flat-Heads  to  live  under  his 
spiritual  guidance.     Every  thing  seemed  to  bo  going  on  well 
when  I  left  Oregon,  but  now  tho  country  appears  on  fire. 
All  the  Indians  living  on  the  banks  of  tho  Colombi}^  from 
AValla  Walla  down  to  tho  Dalles  mountains,  together  with 
the  Indians  of  North  California,  are  in  arms  against  the 
■whites,  and  commit  great  dci)redation8.     One  of  tho  Father 
Oblates,  Father  I'andory,  has  been  killed.     r\  isr  prav,  and 
make  others   pray  for  our  brethren  in  Orego..       i  uo  last 
nccounts   I   received  from  St.  I'aul's  mis  '  .'    nt  Colville, 
stated  that  our  Indians  disapproved  highly  of  the  depreda- 
tions committrd  by  the  other  Indians,  and  showed  no  dis- 
position whatever  to  join  them." 

It  may,  indeed,  be     nfidently  anticipated  that  the  Indians 


AND  MliWIOKAUIEI. 


S05 


of  the  Outholic  inl«.Ioni  of  the  monntninn  ^ho  liavo  nl- 
WH)H  .hown  Kr.Ht  kiu.lh. m  to  the  white.,,  «i,d  havo  alway. 
liv.-d  in  |,,.u.u  with  thoin,  will  onli.uin  to  Untm  to  tho  ^ood 
«oun,K.|  ft,„|  .ulvico  of  their  uu^luumvs  ami  will  almtain 
l|-o.n  any  uct  c.f  h..HliIity.  Mon-over,  th..y  ar.  ...novc-l  In.m 
t  .0  m'al  cf  war,  uiul  Imvo  hoMoiii  ha.l  «,.y  iiUcrcourw  with 
tlio  hoHtilo  uibcs.        MuHt  reHpcctfiilly,  duar  sir, 

Vour  olM'dicjU  Boivaiit, 

1*.  J.  Dk  Smkt,  S.  J. 
26* 


"  ll 


306 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


!     i 


i  I 

m 
m 
m 


Letter  XXIV. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Precis  Historiquks,  Brusgels. 
The  Flat-ffeaih,  etc. 

Univkksitv  of  St.  Louis,  August  4, 1857. 
Kev.  and  dear  Father  : 

You  will  find  inclosed  in  this  letter  a  recent  letter  from 
Rev.  Adrian  Hoeken,  S.  J.  I  hope  that  it  will  merit  a  place 
in  your  Pricis  Ilistoriques.  In  Holland  I  am  sure  it  will 
aflford  pleasure. 

*  %  *  *  *  * 

The  expression  of  the  sentiments  of  the  poor  Indians  in 
my  regard,  fill  me  with  confusion,  and  I  would  not  have 
sent  the  letter  entire,  but  that  you  insisted  on  my  sending 
each  piece  entire.  For  the  rest,  we  must  never  forget,  that 
these  wretched  Indians,  deprived  of  every  thing,  and  neg- 
lected by  other  men,  experience  an  excessive  joy  for  the  least 
benefit,  and  feel  grateful  to  any  one  who  treats  them  with  a 
little  attention.  A  great  lesson  for  our  fellow-countrymen. 
Among  those  whom  infidel  and  revolutionary  writers  in 
Belgium  style  savages  and  barbarians,  you  could  not  find 
one  enough  so  to  figure  in  the  bands  of  Jemappes,  or  ev.^n 
in  the  rioters  of  Brussels,  Antwerp,  Ghent,  and  Mens.  Here 
the  Black-gown  is  respected,  loved.  The  Indians  perceive 
in  him  the  emblem  of  the  happiness  that  the  missionary 
brings  him  in  presenting  him  the  torch  of  faith. 


i 

Hi 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 
Letter  of  Rev.  Father  Adrian  Eoehen. 


807 


Mission  of  tub  Flat-Heads,  April  16, 1857. 
Kev.  and  beloved  Father  : 

Before  entering  iuto  a  few  details,  I  beg  you  to  excuse 
the  want  of  order  in  this  letter.     Much  time  has  elapsed 
since  I  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  news  from  yoM,  who 
have  so  many  titles  to  my  love  and  gratitude,  and  whose 
name  is  frequently  on  the  lips,  and  always  in  the  hearts  of 
each  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  remote  region.     Your  letter  of 
the  27th  and  28th  of  March  reached  us  towards  the  end  of 
August,  It  was  read,  or  rather  devoured,  with  avidity,  so  dear 
was  It  to  our  hearts.    It  was  remitted  to  us  by  our  chief, 
Alexander,  who  accompanied  Mr.  R.  H.  Lansdale  to  the 
Coeur-d'Aleues.    Scarcely  had  we  cast  a  glance  at  the  ad- 
dress, and  recognized  your  handwriting,  than,  not  being  able 
to  contain  our  joy,  all,  with  one  consent,  cried  out,  "Father 
de  Smet  I    Father  de  Smet !"    You  cannot  imagine  the  de- 
light your  letters  afford  us  and  our  dear  Indians.     God  be 
praised  !    Your  name  will  be  ever  held  in  benediction  among 
these  poor  children  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.    Ah  I   how 
often  they  ask  me  these  questions  ;   "  When,  oh  when  !  will 
Father  de  Smet  come  to  us  ?    Will  he  ever  again  ascend  the 
Missouri  ?^    Is  it  true  that  he  will  not  come  to  Fort  Benfon 
this  fall  ?"     These,  and  many  other  similar  questions,  show 
how  dear  to  them  is  the  remembrance  of  their  father  in 
Christ ;  of  him  who  first  broke  to  them  the  bread  of  eternal 
life,  and  showed  them  the  true  wayto  happiness  on  earth 
and  bliss  hereafter.     It  is  not  strange,  then,  that  your  letters  • 
should  have  been  read  several  times,  and  that  every  time 
they  gave  us  new  pleasure  and  excited  new  interest. 

I  can  never  cease  admiring  Divine  Providence,  which  pre- 
sides over  all,  and  which  in  particular  takes  care  of  our  ht- 


W 


m 


1 1 , 


\ 


lllilll 
"ii 


308 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


loved  missions.  Among  the  unnumbered  proofs  of  its  con- 
tinual protection,  your  assistance  iu  our  late  distress,  and  the 
liberality  of  our  benefactors,  are  not  less  remarkable,  nor  less 
worthy  of  our  gratitude.  Our  storehouses  were  empty,  and 
the  war  between  the  Indians  nearest  the  seaboard  took  away 
all  hope  of  procuring  other  resources.  Never,  never  was 
charity  more  appropriate,  nor  received  with  greater  joy. 
May  Heaven  prolong  your  days  and  those  of  our  benefactors  1 
May  you  continue  to  foster  the  same  interest  towards  us  that, 
until  the  present  moment,  you  have  never  ceased  to  testify  1 
Yes,  beloved  father,  let  the  recollection  of  our  missions  be 
ever  equally  dear  to  you.  They  are  the  fruit  of  your  own 
heroic  zeal,  fatigues,  and  labors.  Ah !  never  forget  our  dear 
Indians ;  they  are  your  children  in  Christ,  the  offspring  of 
your  boundless  charity  and  your  unwearied  zeal ! 

During  the  months  of  June,  Jidy,  and  August,  disease 
raged  cruelly  in  our  camp,  as  well  as  in  that  of  the  Flat- 
Heads.  However,  there  were  few  victims  of  its  terrible 
attacks. 

Father  Meuetrey,  my  co-laborer,  visited  the  Flat-Heads, 
where  he  had  been  asked  for  by  the  chief,  Fidelis  Teltella 
{Thunder),  whose  son  was  dangerously  ill.  Later,  I  visited 
them  myself  in  their  cainash  prairies.  A  second  time,  in 
the  opening  of  the  month  of  June,  I  remained  some  days 
with  them,  at  Hellgate,  and  I  distributed  medicines  to  all 
those  who  had  been  seized  with  the  epidemic,  and  a  little 
wheat  flour  to  each  family.  Victor,  the  great  chief,  Am- 
brose, Moses,  Fidelis,  Adolphus,  and  several  others,  came 
here  of  their  own  accord,  to  fulfil  their  religious  duties. 
Since  last  spring  there  has  been  a  notable  amelioration  in 
the  whole  nation.  Ambrose  has  effected  the  most  good. 
He  had  convened  several  assemblies,  in  order  to  arrange  and 
pay  off  old  debts,  to  repair  wrongs,  etc.     The  Indians  appear, 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


809 


however,  very  reluctant  to  part  vvitli  their  lands ;  they  will 
scarcely  hear  of  tlie  dispositions  to  be  taken. 

Father  Ravalli  labored  as  much  as  he  could  to  pacify  the 
tribes  which  reside  towards  the  west,  namely  :  the  Cayuses, 
the  Yakamans,  the  Opelouses,  etc.     As  our  neophytes  hith- 
erto have  taken  no  part  in  the  war,  the  country  is  as  safe  for 
U8  as  ever.     We  can  go  freely  wheresoever  wc  desire.     No 
one  is  ignorant  that  the  Black-gowns  are  not  enemies ;  those, 
at  least,  who  are  among  the  Indians.     Almost  all  the  Cceur- 
d'Alenes,  in  order  to  shield  themselves  from  the  hostiliHes  of 
the  Indians,  and  to  avoid  all  relations  with  them,  arc  gone 
bison-hunting.     A  few  days  since.  Father  Joset  wrote  me 
that  Father  Ravalli  had   already  written   to  him   several 
weeks  before  :  «I  fear  a  general  rising  among  the  Indians, 
towards  the  commencement  of  spring.     Let  us  pray,  and  let 
us  engage  others  to  pray  with  us,  in  order  to  avfert  this  ca- 
lamity.    I  think  that  it  would  bo  well  to  add  to  the  ordinary 
prayers  of  the  mass,  the  collect  for  peace." 

If  the  less  well-intentioned  Indians  from  the  lower  lands 
would  keep  within  their  own  territory,  and  if  the  whites,  the 
number  of  whom  is  daily  augmenting  in  St.  Mary's  valley, 
could  act  with  moderation,  and  conduct  themselves  pru- 
dently, I  am  convinced  that  soon  the  whole  country  would 
be  at  peace,  and  that  not  a  single  Indian  would  hencefor- 
ward imbrue  his  hands  ia  the  blood  of  a  white  stranger. 
Were  I  authorized  to  suggest  a  plan,  I  would  propose  to 
have  all  the  upper  lands  evacuated  by  the  whites,  and  form 
of  it  a  territory  exclusively  of  Indians  ;  afterwards  I  would 
lead  there  all  the  Indians  of  the  inferior  portion,  such  as  the 
Nez-Perces,  the  Cayuses,  the  Yakomas,  the  Coeur-d'Alenes, 
and  the  Spokans.  Well-known  facts  lead  me  to  believe  that 
this  plan,  with  such  superior  advantages,  might  be  effected, 
by  means  of  missions,  in  the  space  of  two  or  three  years. 


't 


810 


WESTEEN  MISSIONS 


Our  Indians  here  are  doing  well.  Last  spring  we  sowed 
about  fifty  bushels  of  wheat,  and  planted  a  quantity  of  po- 
tatoes, cabbages,  and  turnips.  God  has  graciously  blessed 
our  labors  and  our  fields.  Hero  all  generally  like  agriculture. 
We  give  the  seeds  gratis  to  everybody.  Our  ploughs  and, 
our  tools  arc  also  free  to  be  used  by  them.  We  even  lend 
our  horses  and  oxen  to  the  poorest  among  the  Indians,  and 
we  grind  all  their  grain  gratuitously.  But  our  mill,  which 
goes  by  horse-power,  is  very  small,  and  wo  are  not  able  to 
build  another. 

Mr.  R.  H.  Lansdale,  agent  of  the  government,  a  very  just 
and  upright  man,  has  assumed  his  functions  at  the  Plum- 
trees,  a  place  situated  quite  near  the  place  where  we  cross 
the  river,  a  few  miles  from  this.  We  gave  him  all  the 
assistance  of  which  we  were  capable.  I  had  indulged  the 
hope  that  the  government  would  come  to  our  aid,  at  least 
for  the  building  of  a  small  church ;  but  so  far  my  expecta- 
tions have  been  frustrated.  Alas !  are  we  never  to  cease 
deploring  the  loss  of  our  little  church  among  the  Kalispels  ? 
Several  of  these  latter-named,  and  among  others,  Victor,  on 
seeing  the  chapel,  formerly  so  dear  to  them,  but  now  for- 
saken and  neglected,  shed  tears  of  regret. 

When,  oh  when !  shall  the  oppressed  Indian  find  a  poor 
corner  of  earth  on  which  he  may  lead  a  peaceful  life,  serv- 
ing and  loving  his  God  in  tranquillity,  and  preserving  the 
ashes  of  his  ancestors  without  fear  of  beholding  them  pro- 
faned and  trampled  beneath  the  feet  of  an  unjust  usurper  ? 

Several  among  the  Kalispels,  Victor  and  others,  already 
have  possessions  here.  However,  they  have  not  yet  re- 
nounced those  which  they  own  in  the  country  lower  down. 
Twelve  very  poor  habitations  are  the  beginning  of  our  town 
called  St.  Ignatius.  Our  little  abode,  although  very  modest, 
is  sufficiently  comfortable.    To  any  other  than  you,  this 


1 


f 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


811 


word  comfortable  might  sound  singular ;  but  you,  Reverend 
Father,  who  understand  perfectly  what  it  means  when  ap- 
plied to  a  poor  missionary,  will  comprehend  the  relative 
application  of  the  word.  Our  community  numbers  six  mem- 
bers. Father  Joseph  M6netrey,  who  is  missionary,  prefect 
of  our  chapel,  and  inspector  in  chief  of  our  fields,  etc. ; 
Brother  McGean,  farmer ;  Brother  Vincent  Magri,  dispenser,' 
carpenter,  and  miller;  Brother  Joseph  Spegt,  blacksmith, 
baker,  and  gardener ;  Brother  Francis  Huybrechts,  carpenter 
and  sacristan. 

I  intend  going  to  Colville  after  the  harvest  and  during  the 
absence  of  the  Indians. 

Father  Menetrey,  of  his  own  free  will,  went  to  Fort  Benton 
with  a  pair  of  horses.  The  distance  by  the  great  road  is 
294  miles.  He  took  horses  because  we  could  with  difficulty 
spare  our  oxen,  and  also  because,  according  to  information 
received  from  Mr.  Lansdale,  the  road  is  impassable  to  oxen 
which  have  not,  like  horses,  iron  shoes.  Father  Menetrey 
arrived  at  the  fort  on  the  11th  of  September,  and  was  very 
favorably  received  by  the  occupants ;  but  he  was  obliged  to 
wait  some  time  for  the  boats.  He  speaks  with  high  eulogi- 
ums  of  the  Black-Feet,  and  regrets  that  he  has  not  jurisdic- 
tion in  that  part  of  the  mountains.  He  returned  on  the  12  th 
of  November. 

How  express  to  you,  Rev.  Father,  the  joy  that  filled  our 
hearts,  when  we  opened  your  letters  and  the  difierent  cases 
which  you  had  the  charity  to  send  us?  We  each  and  all 
wept  with  grateful  joy!  In  vain,  the  night  following,  I 
strove  to  calm  the  emotions  that  these  missives,  as  well  as  the 
liberality  of  our  benefactors,  had  produced  in  my  heart ;  I 
could  not  close  my  eyes.  All  the  community,  yes,  the  whole 
camp,  participated  in  my  delight.  In  unison  we  rendered 
thanks  to  Divine  Providence,  and  that  day  was  a  perfect  hoi- 


;j 


III',:. 

''"w' 


'|i<i! 


312 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


iday.  Tho  next  day,  liavinc;  a  littlo  recovered  from  my  ex- 
citement, I  was  ashamed  of  my  weakness.  You  wlio  know 
what  it  is  to  bo  a  missionary ;  you  who  know  so  well  his  pri- 
vations, his  trials,  his  pangs,  you  will  easily  forgive  my  exces- 
sive sensibility. 

I  had  agreed  with  Father  Congiato  that  he  would  send 
your  Reverence  my  lists,  as  well  as  tho  money  that  he  might 
allow  me.  I  was  bolder  in  soliciting  your  charity  and  your 
benevolence  in  our  favor,  because  I  knew  the  love  and  inter- 
est that  you  bear  to  our  missions ;  and  that,  on  the  other 
hand,  I  only  executed  a  plan  that  yourself  had  conceived  and 
suggested,  when,  in  consideration  of  the  circumstances,  it 
would  have  appeared  to  every  one  else  illusory  and  incapa- 
ble of  execution. 

Scarcely  hatl  Father  Menetrey  gone  than  I  received  a  let- 
ter from  Father  Congiato,  in  which  he  said  to  me :  "  If  you 
think  that  your  supplies  can  be  furnished  at  a  more  reason- 
able price  from  Missouri,  order  them  thence,  I  will  pay  the 
cost.  Write  on  this  subject  to  Kev.  Father  De  Smet."  Ilad 
I  received  this  letter  somewhat  later,  I  scarcely  know  what 
would  have  been  my  decision ;  for  it  is  very  doubtful  tliat 
we  should  have  been  able  to  find  any  one  who  would  return 
to  Fort  Benton.  I  entreat  you,  be  so  good  as  to  excuse  the 
trouble  that  we  give  you ;  our  extraordinary  situation  is  the 
sole  excuse  that  I  can  ofier  in  favor  of,  our  importunity.  A 
thousand  thanks  to  you,  and  to  all  our  benefactors  who  con- 
curred so  generously  in  the  support  of  our  missions.  I  also 
thank  our  kind  brethren  in  St.  Louis,  for  the  very  interesting 
letters  that  they  had  the  kindness  to  write  me.  Receive  too, 
our  grateful  sentiments.  Rev.  Father,  for  the  catalogues  of  the 
different  provinces,  the  classical  books,  Shea's  Catholic  Mis- 
sions, the  works  of  controversy,  etc.,  etc.  I  should  never 
conclude  did  I  attempt  to  enumerate  all  your  gifts,  which  we 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


313 


were  so  overjoyed  to  receive.     Brother  Joseph  was  beside 
h..n«eU^  w.th  gladness  when  his  eye.s  (ell  on  the  little  rmck- 
^iges  ot  seeds,  the  Hies,  scissors,  and  other  similar  olljects. 
Aecept,  ,n  hne,  our  thanks  for  the  piece  of  broadcloth  you 
sen     „s;  by  this  fnvor  we  continue  to  be  -mack-yoiomr 
Ah !  w>th  my  whole  heart  I  wish  that  you  could  have  seen  ? 
us  as  we  were  opening  the  boxes.     Each  object  excited  nc^/ 
cries  of  joy,  and  augn.c.ted  our  grateful  love  for  the  donors. 
All  arrived  ,n  good  order.     The  snuff  had  got  a  little  mixed 
with  the  clover-seed,  but  no  matter;  my  uose  is  not  very 
delicate.     It  is  the  first  donation  sent  into  these  mountains. 
at  least  smcc  I  have  been  here.     We  bless  God,  who  watches 
over  all  of  his  children  with  so  much  care  and  liberality, 
even  over  those  who  appear  to  be  the  most  forsaken 

On  the  following  day  I  sent  Father  Josct  his  letters.     I 
found  an  opportunity  that  very  day. 

It  would  have  been  very  agreeable  to  me  to  receive  a  copy 
of  all  your  letters  published  since  183G.     The  portraits  were 
very  dear  to  rne.     I  could  not  recognize  Father  Verdin's,  but 
Brother  Joseph  knew  it  at  the  first  glance.     Yours  was  also 
recognized  at  once  by  a  great  number  of  the  Indians,  and  on 
seeing  it  they  shouted  "  Pikek  an  !"     It  made  the  tour  of  the 
village,  and  yesterday  again,  an  inhabitant  of  Koetenay  came 
to  me  with  the  sole  intention  of  "paying  a  visit  to  Father 
l>e  bmet.       Ihis  did  them  an  immense  good,  only  seeing 
the  portrait  of  him  who  was  the  first  to  bear  them  the  light 
ot  taith  in  these  regions,  still  overshadowed  with  the  dark- 
ness of  moral  dgath ;  and  who  first  dissipated  the  mists  iu 
winch  they  and  their  progenitors  during  untold  ages  had 
been   enveloped.     Believe  me,  reverend  father,  not   a  day 
passes,  without  their  prayers  ascending  to  heaven  for  you 

In  what  manner  can  we  testify  our  gratitude  in  regard  to 
the  two  benefactors  who  so  generously  charged  themselvea 

27 


P^ 


pi  i'l 


li 


Ill 


814 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


m 


h 


'  1 


with  the  caro  of  transporting  and  delivering  to  u«  our 
cases  without  consenting  to  accept  the  slightest  rncompense  ! 
Undoubtedly  they  will  reap  a  largo  share  in  the  sacrificos 
and  prayers  that  daily  rise  to  Heaven  for  all  our  benefactors, 
and  which  are  with  a  grateful  heart  and  the  remembrance 
of  their  beneficence  towards  us,  the  only  tokens  of  our 
thankfulness  that  we  can  offer  them.  How  noble  the  senti- 
ment which  prompted  them  gratuitously  to  burden  thcra- 
Belves  and  their  boats,  with  the  charitable  gifts  destined  by 
the  faithful,  to  the  destitute  missionaries  of  the  Indians! 
Heaven,  who  knows  our  poverty,  will  reward  them  with  bet- 
ter gifts  than  we  could  have  imagined  suitiiblc  to  tlicir  lib- 
erality. 

The  package  destined  for  Michael  Insula,  the  "Little 
Chief^^  lies  here  for  the  present.  lie  has  not  yet  opened 
it.  The  good  man  is  abroad  on  a  hunting  excureion  ;  but 
•we  expect  him  back  in  a  few  days.  I  doubt  not  that  ho  will 
be  very  sensible  to  these  marks  of  friendship,  or,  as  he  usu- 
ally expresses  it,  "  these  marks  of  fraternity."  lie  set  out 
from  here,  when  he  had  harvested  the  grain  he  had  sowed. 
Always  equally  good,  equally  happy,  a  fervent  Christian,  he 
is  daily  advancing  in  virtue  and  in  perfection.  He  has  a 
young  son,  Louis  Michael,  whom  he  teaches  to  call  me  papa. 
It  is  a  real  pleasure  to  him  to  be  able  to  speak  of  your  rev- 
erence and  of  his  two  adopted  brothers,  Messrs.  Campbell  and 
Fitzpatrick.  I  will  give  him  the  packet  directly  after  his 
return,  and  will  inform  you  of  the  sentiments  with  which  he 
will  have  received  it,  as  well  as  his  reply. 

Here  in  our  missions,  we  already  observe  all  the  conditions 
stipulated  in  the  treaty  concluded  last  year  by  Gov.  Stevens, 
at  Hellgate.  Our  brothers  assist  the  Indians,  and  teach  them 
how  to  cultivate  the  ground.     They  distribute   the  fields 


ill 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


815 


«nd  other  ngiicultunil  infitrun.onts.     Our  hlaobn.itl.  wr.rk« 
for  them  :  ho  ropui.8  th.ir  ij;nm,  thdr  axes,  thoir  kt.ivcs ;  tho 
onrpunUT  reiulern  them  great  HHsistHiure  in  constructi„Lr  their 
house.,  hy  ,„Hking  the  .h,o,«  and  windows;  in  fine,  our  littlo 
mi  I  IS  da.ly  in  u.o  lor  grin.Iing  their  grain,  r;rali, ;  we  dis- 
tribute  some  medicines  h>  the  «ick  i—in  a  word,  all  we  havo 
and  all  we  are  k  sacrificed  to  the  welfare  of  the  ln.li;,n.    Tho 
Bavings  that  our  religious  economy  enables  us  to  make  wo 
retam  solely  to  relievo  their  miseries.     Whatever  we  gain 
by  manual  labor  and  hy  the  sweat  of  the  brow,  is  theirs ! 
Through  love  of  Jesus  Christ,  wo  are  ready  to  sacrifice  all, 
even  lite  itself.     Last  year  wo  openc.l  our  school ;  but  cir- 
cumstances  forced   us  to  close   it.     Next  spring  wo  shall 
have  a  brother  capable  of  fa.^hing,  and  we  intend  opening 
It  a  second   time;  but  in  tho  interval  .ve  shall  not  earn  a 
cent.     During  last  October,  the  snow  forced  Fathers  Joset 
and    Ravalli  and  Brother  Saveo  to   return  to  the  Cceur- 
d'Alones. 

We  have  done,  and  sliall  continue  to  do,  all  that  lies  in 
our  power  for  the  government  officers.     Still  our  poor  mis- 
sion has  never  received  a  farthing  from  the  government.    Do 
not  think,  reverend  father,  that  I  complain— oh  no!  you  are 
too  well  assured  no  earthly  good  could  ever  induce  us  to 
work  and  suffer  as  we  do  here.    As  wealth  itself  could  never 
recompense  our  toils,  so  privations  aro  incapable  of  leading 
us  to  renounce  our  noble  enterprise.     Heaven,  heaven  alone 
IS  our  aim  ;  and  that  reward  will  far  exceed  our  deserts.    On 
the  other  hand,  we  are  consoled  by  the  reflection  that  He 
^vho  provides  for  the  binls  of  the  air  will  never  abandon  his 
tenderly  loved  children.     Yet  it  is  not  less  true,  that,  if  we 
had  resources  (humnnly  speaking),  our  missions  would  be 
more  flourishing;  and  that  many  things  that  we  now  accom- 
plish only  with  great  patience  and  sore  privations,  and  which 


ill 


1 , .. 


ill   ',     . 


810 


UN    MISSIONS 


agaiti  frt'qnontly  depend  upon  contiiigonplos,  couKl  bo  onocted 
nioro  rapidly  and  with  \vm  uncertainty  of  Hucross. 

In  t)ur  mission,  theru  uro  pt-risons  of  sutdi  h  variety  of 
nations,  that  wo  t'oiin,  no  to  spi'ak,  a  lieuvon  in  ininiaturo. 
First,  our  coniniunity  is  composed  of  six  niunibors,  all  of 
wlioni  aro  nativcH  of  did'tjront  lands.  Then  we  have  creolos  : 
Genetzi,  whoso  wifo  Ir  SuHunna,  daughtor  of  tlm  old  Itjnntiua 
ChuvoR ;  Abraham  and  I'otor  Tinsloy,  sons  of  old  Jacijuos  Hoi- 
toux;  Aloxandi'r  Thibuult,  a  Canadian,  and  J^crpons.  Tin're 
aro  pomo  Iroquois:  old  Ignatius  is  settled  hero,  as  well  as  tho 
family  of  Iroquois  Peter.  Tho  death  of  this  venerable  old 
man  is  a  groat  loss  to  the  mission.  Then  wo  liavo  Creoles 
from  the  Crock  nation;  I'ioirish,  and  Ansor),  with  his  bro- 
thers; then  some  Flal-1  loads;  Kalispols;  two  camps  of  renda- 
d'Oreillos ;  then  several  Spokans ;  some  Nez-l'ercos,  Koe- 
tenays,  Coeur-d'Alones,  and  Kettle-Falls  Indians;  a  few 
Americans,  settled  a  few  miles  from  hero ;  and  some  Black- 
Feet.  All,  though  of  different  nations,  live  together  liko 
brethren  and  in  perfect  liarmony.  They  have,  like  the 
primitive  Christians,  but  one  heart  and  one  mind. 

Last  spring,  and  tluring  tho  summer  following,  we  had 
several  Black-Feet  iiore.  'Ihey  bcdiaved  extremely  well. 
Among  others,  tho  Little  Dog,  chief  of  tho  Pogans,  with 
some  members  of  his  family.  They  entered  our  camp  with 
the  American  flag  unfurled,  and  marching  to  the  tones  of 
martial  music  and  an  innumerable  quantity  of  little  bells. 
The  very  horses  pranced  in  accordance  with  the  measure, 
and  assumed  a  stately  deportment  at  the  harmony  of  the 
national  hymn. 

We  held  several  conferences  with  tho  chief  concerning 
religion.  lie  complained  that  the  whites,  who  had  been  in 
communication  with  them,  had  never  treated  this  so  impor- 
tant atiain    So  fai"  the  best  uuderstandiuG:  reiirus  between  us. 


AND  MISSIONARIKS. 


817 


»nfl  it  would  nppcnr  t!mt  nil  tho  c.M  (lifTlculti.»«  nro  forgotten. 
May  Il.'uvcn  k.-.-j)  ilu-rii  in  tlit-so  fuvoruhlo  <liN|)08itionM.  La»t 
fiiiiiimer  tlit(  (Jiowh  Htolu  altoiit  twenty  liorni-s  from  our  nation. 
A  fow  <l«y«  aftor,  utlierH  visiti;.!  our  cauip.  Tlio  renicmbranco 
of  this  lh.;ft  BO  excit«;il  th«  peoplo  that,  forgottinjr  tho  hiw  of 
nations,  which  nocuivs  protection  to  ovon  the  f^rcatoHt  enemy 
m  soon  as  ho  puts  his  foot  within  tho  camp,  thoy  f.-ll  upon 
tho  poor  guests,  and  killed  two  of.them  oi'o  thoy  had  timo  to 
escape. 

May  God  Mess  tho  government  for  cstahli^hing  pence 
among  the  Black-Feet!  However,  as  hitherto  tho  means 
liavo  not  proved  very  eflicacious,  [  fear  that  tho  quiet  will 
not  be  of  very  long  duration.  I  (rust  that  our  society  will 
one  day  effect  a  more  enduring  peace.  A  mission  among 
them  wouKl,  I  am  persuaded,  produce  this  blessed  result. 
And  if  to  bedew  this  hitherto  ungrateful  soil  requires  tho 
blood  of  some  hajipy  missionary,  it  would  bring  forth  a  hun- 
dredfold, and  the  Jilack-Feet  would  respect  oir  ho\y  relio-ion. 

I  am  much  distressed  at  learning  that  an  epidemic  disease 
is  making  terrible  ravages  among  tlie  lilack-Feet.  Accord- 
ing to  the  last  news,  about  loO  Indians  had  perishe<l  in  one 
camp  alone,  near  Fort  Benton.  A\'lien  the  malady  had  ceased 
scourging  men,  it  fell  upon  their  horses.  Many  are  dead 
already,  and  many  are  dying.  AVe  have  lost  five.  Our 
hunters  are  forced  to  go  to  the  cliase  on  foot;  for,  according 
to  their  account,  all  the  horses  are  sick.  If  the  Nez-Perces 
lose  their  horses  in  the  war  with  govenunent,  horses  will  be 
very  dear  here. 

Michael,  the  Little  Chief,  has  arrived.    I  presented  him  the 

gracious  gift  of  Col.  Campbell.     He  was  astonislied  that  the 

colonel  should  think  of  him,  and  was  much  moved  at  this 

mark  of  attachment.     Then  ho  cited  a  long  list  of  kindred, 

dead  since  his  lust  interview  with  Col.  Campbell,  and  enter- 

270 


■i  I 


mI 


;li 


i^tj 


h  I 


II 


II 


■ 


I'llllli 


II    'l 
111. 


818 


WrSTKRN  MrswioNa 


taiiUMl  nut  at  longth  with  (lio  gront  nnmhor  of  AmoricAiti 
thul  iiu  liuil  h(H'ii  (iriiiimll)'  piihMini;  Fori  Hall,  lit*  tnl  I  tii« 
with  what  Holioitudi'  niitl  aiixii-t)  lut  HOiiglil  hih  tViuinl  among 
thoHo  «iioco.H»iiv»)  inultitiuli'H,  Hiul  when  at  lutiglh  ho  could  uut 
dUcovcr  him,  hu  bt'licvcd  that  ho  wrh  dcud. 

Our  ItiiliuiiH  are  hiHon-himtiii;;,  atid  «(uile  imcce«Bfiil.  Fivo 
PpokaiiH  have  boeii  killed  by  the  IJunui-H,  and  nix  of  these 
last  killed  l>y  the  Sj.okaiiH  and  Ca'iir-d'AirneH.  The  Flat- 
llcadn  huv.)  h.-id  a  man  killecj  l.y  the  hame  UaiiaeH.  Luiuh, 
AmbroMi's  HOD,  Win  killeil  last  fall  by  the  (iroH-Vi'iitioH.  All 
hwt  winter  a  pKxl  un(k'r.4;iiidiiig  prevailed  amotiji;  the  lUaek- 
Foet.     Many  of  them  will  come,  I  think,  and  reside  with  uh. 

The  Nez-ren'6s  and  the  Spokuns  endeavor  to  spread  a 
bad  spirit  among  the  Indians  who  reside  in  the  country  bo- 
low.  Thty  endeavor  to  comnuuiicato  their  hatred  of  the 
Americans;  but  our  cldefrt  arc  firm,  and  will  in  no  wise 
aoiiuiesco  in  the  desire  of  their  enemies.  Victor,  the  great 
chief,  and  Ambrose,  are  hero  again,  in  order  to  accomplish 
their  spiritual  duties.  Unfortunately  a  great  antipathy  pre- 
vails among  these  tribes. 

Mr.  McArthur,  formerly  agent  of  tho  Hudson  Bay  Com- 
pany, has  now  settled  at  llellgate. 

To  conclude,  Uev.  Father,  I  entreat  you  to  believe  that, 
notwithstanding  your  reiterated  exhortations  to  assure  mo,  it 
is  not  without  a  feeling  of  restraint  tliat  I  inclose  you  anew 
the  list  of  things  we  need  this  year.  I  am  aware  that  you 
are  weighed  down  with  businesa;  Imt  who,  as  well  as  your- 
self, can  know  and  understand  our  position  i 

I  entreat  you  to  present  njy  r.  speets  to  all  my  kind  friends 
who  are  at  the  university,  at  St.  Charles,  and  elsewhere. 
Your  reverence's  most  respcctfid  servant, 

A.    HuEKKN,    S.  J. 


1 


AitD  MI80IONABIU. 


819 


Letter  XXV. 

To   Tii«  EorroR  or  tke   VRtcta  IIisTORi^uitg,  Btutsiu. 

Th*  PotawaUmiet. 

TuHKUoirr,  Docerabor  1«,  18S«, 

Wev.  and  dear  FATnEn : 

I  uni,  this  diiy,  in  the  city  where  one  of  the  most  zeal- 
ous bcnofactorM  of  forcigu  missions,  I  moan  tho  Into  M.  De 
Nof,  re8i<lea  many  yuars.  From  this,  I  shall  set  out  for  Hol- 
land, and  I  purpose  mooting  you  again  in  Brussels,  please 
God,  in  tho  month  of  January. 

I  yield  most  cheerfully  to  tho  wish  you  express  to  publish 
the  letter  that  I  addressed,  in  1838,  to  tho  excellent  Superior 
of  the  Orphanage  of  Termonde,  and  of  which  a  fragmentary 
copy  was  given  you  at  Erps,  on  the  occasion  of  your  pleasant 
trip  to  the  pious  scrvanU  of  Mary  and  their  edifying  pupils. 
Tho  original  letter  will,  no  doubt,  bo  communicated  by  the 
house  of  Termonde.  I  rely  on  you  for  all  oUier  pieces  you 
may  find  in  your  search  for  manuscripts. 


Nation  of  the  Potawatoioks,  St.  JotEPH,  July,  18«8. 
Very  kind  Mother  : 

I  received  your  letter  of  March  13th,  with  all  your  good 
news  of  Termonde,  even  dat  Charles  Oeyzel  koster  geworden 
M.     Ongelwijfelt  zat  het  eenen  goeden  koster  zyn*     All  your 

•  "  Charlas  Geyzel  is  uauwd  Vic*r.    No  doubt  b«  wUl  prnvA  a  ^rno/i  ««* 


!  ,1  ' 


/ 


III!! 


!*  -'ill ' 

i  : 


320 


"WESTERN   MISSIONS 


commiinicrxlions  give  mo  cjront  plo.'isiiro  and  mucli  consola- 
tion. I  do  not  forgot  iny  native  i)lacc.  Contiimc,  tlmrofoiv, 
to  fiend  nio  v.-ry  fri'(|U('iitIy  tho  most  minute  ddtailH.  Ail 
that  Ji  'IVrniontois  can  Icarii  of  tliat  jioint  of  tliu  giolnj,  even 
■when  lio  liiids  iiiiiisflf  in  an  Anicricaii  dt'sort,  two  tiioiinand 
miles  away,  amid  Indians  and  wild  Itcasls,  is  always  (diarm- 
ing  to  him.  Indeed,  the  reception  of  your  letter  was  a  holi- 
day for  mo. 

What  shall  I  say  to  you,  Mother,  on  all  that  yon  write 
mo  of  tho  actual  state  of  yonr  house,  and  of  the  good  Ma- 
rolles  lliat  tho  Lord  destines  to  take  care  of  so  many  poor 
and  miserable,  nndor  the  direction  of  your  worthy  director? 
Ah  !  I  assure  you,  I  bless  God  for  it,  in  tho  sinceri!  /  of  my 
heart.  If  he  tleigns  to  hear  me,  he  will  kec])  you  all,  yonr 
orphan  boys  and  girls,  your  old  men  and  your  children,  be- 
neath his  powerful  and  holy  grace.  It  is  my  ardent  and 
daily  prayer  before  the  altar.  I  thank  you  all,  teachers  and 
pupils,  that  you  do  not  forget  inc,  above  all,  in  your  prayers. 
I  hope  you  will  continue  to  implore  the  Blessed  Virgin  to 
protect  our  poor  missions,  and  obtain  for  us,  from  her  Divine 
Son,  who  can  refuse  her  naught,  the  giace  and  strength  ne- 
cessary to  overcome  the  numerous  obstacles  which  separate 
the  savage  from  the  path  of  salvation. 

You  no  doubt  expect  a  little  recital  from  the  depth  of  our 
wilderness.  Well,  I  will  exhibit  you  tho  light  and  the  shade. 
It  is  just  that  you,  who  pray  so  much  for  us,  should  know 
somewhat  of  the  exact  state  of  our  affairs.  Your  prayers  for 
us,  I  am  sure  will,  if  possible,  increase  in  fervor. 

First  I  will  narrate  to  you  the  great  loss  that  we  expe- 
rienced towards  the  end  of  April.  Our  superior  sent  us, 
from  St.  Louis,  goods  to  the  amount  of  $500,  in  ornaments 
for  +he  church.  A  tabernacl.?,  a  boll,  and  provisions  and 
clothes  for  a  year.      I  Lad  been  for  a  long  time  without 


AND  MI86IONAJJIE8. 


331 


ho.,  nd  from  Easter  wo  wore  destitute  of  supplies.  AH 
the  J  utaw.tonno  uufon  were  sutferin.  from  scarcity,  hnviu. 
o  ly  Hcorns  and  a  few  wild  roots  for  thoir  who  Jitock  of 

to  us  that   ho  much-desired  Loat  was  aj.j.roachiu^..    Ahvady 
je  saw  .t  from  the  highest  of  our  hills.'    1  procured,  wi  JZ 

r  cV  ""'"'''  "  '^'^  '•'^^^  '^'^'''t-     ^^''«  vessel  had 

bu   happ.ly,  „o  hves  were  lost.     The  total  damage  wat  val 
ued  at  ^0,000.     All  the  provisions  forwarded  by  govJrn- 
menuo  t  e  savages  were  o„  board  of  her.     Of  ou^effects, 
four  a,t.clcs  were  saved  :   a  plough,  a  saw,  a  pair  of  boots 
and  some  wme.    Providenee  was  still  favorable  to  us.    With 
the  help  of  the  plough,  we  were  enabled  to  plant  a  large 
fiekl  of  eorn  ;  >t  was  the  season  for  furrowing.    We  are  using 
the  saw  to  budd  a  better  house  and  enlarge  our  ehureh 
a  ready  too  small.    With  my  boots,  I  can  wafk  in  the  woods' 

^h  eh  throng  there.  And  the  wine  pennits  us  to  offer  to 
God  every  day  the  most  holy  saerifico  of  the  mass,  a  privi- 
ego  that  had  been  denied  us  during  a  long  time.  We 
therefore,  returned,  with  courage  and  resignation,  to  the' 
acorns  and  roots  until  the  30th  of  May.  That  day  another 
boat  arrived.  By  that  same  steamer  I  received  news  from 
you,  as  well  as  a  letter  from  my  family  and  from  the  good 
Carmelite  superior".  ** 

Our  congregation  already  amounts  to  about  three  hun- 
dred.    At  Easter  we  had  fifty  candidates  for  the  first  com- 

ZZT .,  ^^'^t""""'"'''  ^"  ^  ^''y  '^'''^^  "^^"°«^'  these  poor 
Indians,  that  they  may  maintain  their  fervor.     The  dangers 

and  scandals  which  surround  them  are  very  great.    I  have 


m 


hi  I 

k 


^aiit! 


1  * 

i 

1  ; 

ii 

1 1 

,11 

'  ^r 

•  1 

!  !i 

i„'|i 

HI 

§ 

i    il 


iii: 


i 


"■ 


'•pi 


iiiili 


111"' 


822 


WESTESN   MISSIONS 


remarked,  in  ono  of  my  preceding  letters,  that  one  of  the 
principal  obstacles  to  the  conversion  of  the  savages  is  drink- 
ing. The  last  boat  brought  them  a  quantity  of  liquors. 
Already  fourteen  among  them  arc  cut  to  pieces  in  the  most 
barbarous  manner,  and  are  dead.  A  father  seized  his  own 
child  by  the  legs  and  crushed  it,  in  the  presence  of  its 
mother,  by  dashing  it  against  the  post  of  his  lodge.  Two 
others  most  cruelly  murdered  an  Indian  woman,  a  neighbor 
of  ours,  and  mother  of  four  children.  We  live  in  the  midst 
of  the  most  disgusting  scenes.  The  passion  of  the  savages 
for  strong  drink  is  inconceivable.  They  give  horses,  blankets, 
all,  in  a  word,  to  have  a  httle  of  this  brutalizing  liquid. 
Their  drunkenness  only  ceases  when  they  have  nothing  more 
to  drink.  Some  of  our  neophytes  have  not  been  able  to  re- 
sist this  t(jrrible  torrent,  and  have  allowed  themselves  to  be 
drawn  into  it.  I  wrote  an  energetic  letter  to  the  govern- 
ment against  these  abominable  traffickers.    Join  your  prayers 

to  our  eflforts  to  obtain  from  Heaven  the  cessation  of  this 

*. 
frightful  commerce,  which  is  the  misery  of  the  savages  in 

every  relation. 

I  visit  the  Indians  in  their  wigwams^  either  as  a  mission- 
ary, if  they  are  disposed  to  listen  to  me,  or  as  a  physician 
to  see  their  sick.  When  I  find  a  little  child  in  great  dan- 
ger, and  I  perceive  that  the  parents  have  no  desire  to  hear 
the  word  of  God,  I  spread  out  my  vials :  I  recommend  my 
medicines  strongly.  I  first  bathe  the  child  with  a  little 
camphor;  then,  taking  some  baptismal  water,  I  baptize  it 
without  their  suspecting  it — and  thus  I  have  opened  the 
gate  of  heaven  to  a  great  number,  notwithstanding  the  wiles 
of  hell  to  hinder  them  from  enterins:. 

During  the  winter  a  chief  of  a  neighboring  nation  brought 
me  his  child,  attacked  with  a  very  dangerous  malady ;  it 
only  had  a  breath  of  life  remaining.    The  father  asked  med- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


828 


icine  from  me.  I  gave  him  to  understand  that  his  child  wa» 
past  recovery,  but  that  I  had  the  means  of  rendering  it,  after 
death,  the  happiest  of  his  nation.  I  explained  to  him  the 
favors  arising  from  the  sacrament  of  baptism.  The  chief, 
quite  delighted,  offered  me  his  son  in  order  to  secure  its 
happiness,  and  the  child  died  on  the  following  day. 

I  might  cite  you  a  great  number  of  other  consoling  traits 
with  which  Heaven  favors  us,  but  my  sheet  is  too  small  to 
allow  of  it. 

I  will  consecrate  this  last  page  to  a  description  of  the  prin- 
cipal incidents  of  my  excursion  of  360  miles  further  into  tho 
Indian  Territories,  through  the  country  of  the  Omahas,  and 
in  the  immense  tract  of  country  occupied  by  the  Sioux. 
The  object  of  this  journey  was  to  afford  the  benefit  of  bap- 
tism to  some  children,  to  give  adults  some  ideas  of  our  holy 
religion,  and  to  establish  a  durable  and  advantageous  peace 
between  the  two  nations.  Our  savages  have  lived,  during 
the  last  two  years,  in  a  terrible  dread  of  this  numerous  and 
warlike  nation;  lately,  also,  two  of  our  people  had  been 
massacred. 

I  embarlied  on  the  Missouri,  the  29th  of  April,  in  a  steam- 
boat. I  met  on  board,  to  my  great  joy,  two  old  friends: 
the  one  a  French  mathematician,  Mr.  Nicollet,  a  very  learned 
and  pious  man;  the  other,  Mr.  Gayer,  a  German.  These 
gentlemen  are  making  a  scientific  excursion  of  4500  miles 
into  the  Indian  countries.  The  watei-s  of  the  river  were  low ; 
the  sand-banks  and  the  sawyers  very  numerous  and  difficult 
to  pass ;  the  winds  strong  and  contrary.  Our  progress  was 
very  slow.  We  had  many  an  opportunity  to  make  excur- 
sions in  the  woods  and  prairies,  searching  for  new  minerals, 
which  abound  in  these  wilds,  and  rare  and  curious  plants, 
among  which  we  made  some  beautiful  discoveries.  I  thought 
of  you.  my  good  mother,  when  I  found  myself  iu  those 


824 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


E                  9   j 

1 

1 

:'t    ' 


'  t 


I'  i 


u 


f 


H 

^H 

ill 

Ik 

iH 

I^^Hit 

.£ij^^i 

If!!' 


liillil' 


'if 

'ihiiii'. 


beautiful  parterres.  I  imagined  once,  for  an  instant,  that 
you  were  there,  with  your  little  children.  I  heard  your  ex- 
clamations :  "  Pottcn,  potten,  kimlcren  !  locl,  ivel  /  .  .  .  .  Dat 
zyn  schoone  blocmcn  !  Wie  sonde  hct  konncn  (jeJooven  ?  .  .  . 
Maer  zict,  macr  sietf  ....  Xomt  hier,  moeder ;  hier  heb 
ik  eene  schoone^^  etc.,  etc.*  Indeed  it  was  truly  the  most 
beautiful  view  one  could  fancy.  When  the  bell  called  ub 
back  to  the  steamer,  I  quitted  those  little  parks  of  wild  flow- 
ers with  much  difficulty.  I  gathered  a  great  number  of 
plants,  which  I  preserved  in  my  herbal.  We  passed  over 
several  spots  where  there  were  only  onions,  round,  and  about 
as  large  as  the  marbles  children  use  for  play,  but  excellent 
for  eating.  In  another  place  wo  gathered  a  great  quantity 
of  asparagus,  as  thick  as  a  man's  thumb.  All  the  passengers 
of  the  steamboat  regaled  themselves  with  it  during  four  days. 
I  will  tell  you  nothing  of  our  little  encounters  with  the 
■wolves  and  the  serpents;  dat  zoude  het  spel  verbrodden — 
(that  would  dispel  the  charm). 

On  the  route,  I  instructed  and  baptized,  on  the  vessel,  a 
■woman  with  her  three  children,  and  heard  the  confessions  of 
a  great  number  of  Canadian  voyageurs,  who  were  going  to 
the  Rocky  Mountains. 

A  tomb  attracts  attention  in  these  regions ;  it  is  the  tomb 
of  Black  Bird,  the  great  chief  of  the  Omahas.  This  chief 
became  celebrated  by  the  ascendency  which  he  possessed 
over  his  nation ;  he  was  an  object  of  terror  and  respect  to 
his  people,  for  they  believed  that  he  could  control  life  and 
death.  The  origin  of  their  belief  is  as  follows :  He  had  pro- 
cured a  large  quantity  of  arsenic,  by  the  aid  of  a  merchant ; 
the  latter  at  the  same  time  instructed  him  in  the  method  of 


*  Vases— flower-pots— children— oh  1  what  a  beautiful  flower  1    Here 
■whoro,  mother,  I  have  one  still  more  lovely,  etc.,  etc.    Come  here,  «fcc. 


|_nrT" 


''il 


AND  MISSIONABIEa. 


325 


using  it;  but  tho  wretch  soon  received  liis  recompense. 
Black  Bird  invited  him  to  dine  witli  him  on  a  day  appointed, 
and  adroitly  administered  to  him  a  good  dose  of  liis  terrible 
medicine.  The  merchant,  to  tlic  great  pleasure  of  his  host, 
died  some  hours  after,  in  frightful  turmonts.  I'roud  of  his 
attempt,  Black  Bird  soon  meditated  a  perfidious  blow,  and 
made  great  preparation  for  its  execution.  IIo  dispatched  a 
party  of  his  people  to  tho  chase,  so  as  to  kill  some  deer  and 
bullaloes  for  his  banquet.  The  principal  warriors  and  the 
minor  chiefs  had  become  jealous  of  the  ascendency  that  the 
great  chief  exercised  for  some  time  over  the  nation.  Black 
Bird,  informed  of  their  discontent  and  murmurs,  invited  to 
his  feast  to  the  very  last  of  his  warriors  who  had  murmured. 
He  lavished  his  attentions  upon  them,  and  showed  the  most 
distinguished  marks  of  cordiality  to  his  guests,  wishing 
apparently  to  be  reconciled  with  them,  and  to  efface  the  bad 
impression  that  his  hard-heartedness  and  luiughty  bearing 
had  caused.  As  soon  as  each  one  had  emptied  his  plate, 
and  the  poison  had  begun  to  act  on  some,  ho  threw  off  the 
mask,  and  began  to  harangue  them  on  the  great  power  of 
his  manitou  or  genius  which  guided  him,  and,  brandishing 
his  tomahawk  in  triumph,  bade  them,  with  sarcasm  and  bit- 
terness, "  to  intone  their  death  songs,  if  any  warlike  blood  yet 
circled  in  their  veins ;"  adding,  with  the  accent  of  revenge, 
"that  before  the  sun's  rising" — it  was  night — "the  vultures 
would  fly  above  their  wigwams,  and  that  their  wives  and 
children  would  mourn  over  their  lifeless  corpses."  It  was  a 
night  of  confusion,  tears,  fear,  and  tumult.  No  one  escaped 
the  poison ! 

The  whole  life  of  this  man  was  a  chain  of  crimes  and  cru- 
elties.    Tired  of  "pouring  out  blood,'*  as  the  Indians  say,  or 
rather  pursued  by  remorse  and  despair,  he  allowed  himself 
•to  die  with  hunger.    Before  expiring,  he  gave  orders  to  his 

28 


826 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


m 


ri ,' 


III 


III 


faitlifiil  warriore  to  bury  him  on  the  highest  of  the  hills,  an 
elevation  of  three  hundred  feet,  seated  on  his  most  beautiful 
courser,  facing  the  impetuous  Missouri, — "so  that,"  said  he, 
•'  I  can  salute  all  the  voyageurs."  llis  tomb  resembles  a  little 
hillock.  It  is  surmounted  by  a  pole,  to  which  the  Indians 
attach  a  thig.    It  can  bo  easily  distinguished  eighteen  miles  off. 

Our  boat  passed  near  the  village  of  the  Omahas,  com- 
posed of  about  1400  souls.  It  is  situated  at  the  extremity 
of  a  beautiful  prairie,  about  three  miles  in  extent,  at  the  foot 
of  a  little  range  of  hills.  No  one  came  to  the  shore  to  see 
us  pass, — fearing,  it  seems,  that  the  small-pox  was  on  board, 
and  might  be  introduced  among  them.  Only  two  years  ago, 
by  an  unpardonable  imprudence  of  the  captain,  this  disease 
■was  inti'oduced  into  the  Indian  country  by  the  same  vessel, 
and  produced  ravages  frightful  and  unheard  of  in  the  Indian 
annals.  Twenty -five  or  thirty  thousand  died  in  a  few  weeks. 
Of  twelve  hundred  men  of  the  tribe  of  the  Mandans,  only 
seven  families  escaped  the  contagion.  About  eighty  warriors 
of  this  little  nation  committed  suicide  in  the  days  of  calam- 
ity, some  in  despair  at  the  loss  of  their  children  and  friends, 
others  through  fear  of  becoming  the  slaves  of  their  enemies, 
and  the  greater  number  saying  that  they  were  horrified  at 
the  idea  of  seeing  their  bodies  corrupted  while  yet  alive. 

On  the  11th  of  May  I  reached  my  destination,  and  quitted 
■with  regret  my  four  new^  children  in  Christ  and  my  two 
friends.  It  would  have  been  very  gratifying  to  me  to  have 
accompanied  these  two  gentlemen  in  thoir  lengthy  course, 
if  my  health  and  circumstances  would  have  allowed  me,  so 
as  to  visit  the  numerous  nations  of  the  mountains. 

On  my  arrival  among  the  Sioux,  the  chiefs  and  warriors 
of  the  tribe  of  Jantons  invited  me  to  a  feast.  All  were  seat- 
ed in  a  circle  in  a  grand  lodge  or  tent  of  buffalo  hides.  Each 
one  rested  his  chin  on  his  knees,  the  legs  drawn  close  up  to 


i  I; :  l' 

it: 


:.!;ii^: 


m 


AND  MI8SIONAKIE8. 


32T 


the  botly,  ft  position  that  my  corpulency  would  not  allow  mo 
to  us8ume.  I  thcruforo  seutod  myself  liko  a  tailor  on  his  ta- 
ble, with  my  legs  crosseil.  Every  one  received  a  big  piece  of 
venison  in  a  wooden  trencher;  those  wiio  cannot  liiiish  their 
portion  are  permitted  to  take  awjiy — it  is  their  custom — tho 
remains  of  liis  plate.  I  was  among  this  number,  and  I  had 
enough  left  for  two  days. 

Tho  repast  concluded,  I  disclosed  to  them  the  principal 
object  of  my  visit  among  them,  viz. :  a  durable  peace  be- 
tyveen  tho  Sioux  and  the  Potawatomics  their  neighbors. 
Having  discussed  the  different  points,  refuted  the  false  re- 
ports that  divided  the  two  nations,  I  persuaded  the  Sioux  to 
make  some  presents  to  the  children  of  such  of  our  Potawat- 
omics as  they  had  killed,  whioh  is  called  covering  the  dead, 
and  to  come  and  suiokc  with  them  tho  calumet  of  peace. 
The  feast  and  tho  council  were  terminated  with  the  most 
perfect  cordiality.  The  same  evening  I  gave  them  an  in- 
struction on  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and  I  baptized  a  great 
number  of  their  little  children.  This  nation,  dispersed  over 
a  wide  extent,  reckons  32,000  souls. 

The  object  of  my  voyage  being  attained,  I  seized  the  first 
opportunity  of  returning  to  my  mission.  The  savages,  be- 
sides, had  already  struck  the  camp  to  follow  tho  bison,  which 
were  moving  away.  My  vessel,  this  time,  was  a  tree  hol- 
lowed out,  which  is  called  a  canoe,  ten  feet  in  length,  by  one 
and  a  half  in  width.  I  could  just  seat  myself  in  it.  Bfiforo 
this,  I  had  crossed  the  river  in  this  sort  of  craft,  but  never 
without  fear,  it  being  evidently  very  dangerous ;  now  I  had 
tnree  hundred  and  sixty  miles  to  descend  on  the  most  peril- 
ous and  most  impetuous  of  rivers,  and  it  was  necessary,  for  I 
had  no  other  way.  Happily  I  was  accompanied  by  two  very 
skilful  pilots,  who,  in  paddling  on  the  right  and  left,  darted 
with  the  fleetness  of  an  arrow  through  the  numerous  sawyers 


i^l 


828 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


I'iililpi'''  '' 


!   i    ! 


fliPiir 


11  '11 


mih  which  the  river  was  filled,  the  frail  bark  which  the 
slightest  shock  could  oveiturn.     Jud«,'o  how  swift  its  course 
is:  in  three  days,  sailing  from  four  o'clock  in  the  morning 
until  sunset,  we  had  passud  over' one  hundred  and  twenty 
leagues.     Two  nights  only  I  slept  in  the  open  air,  having  no 
bed  but  my  buffalo-robe,  and  no  pillow  but  my  travelling- 
bag.    Yet,  I  can  assure  you,  that  my  shimbcrs  were  as  peace- 
able and  profound  as  I  ever  enjoyed  in  my  life.     A  good 
appetite,  for  the  air  on  the  water  is  fresh,  prepared  us  for 
three  excellent  meals  eacli  day.     Afy  companions  were  well 
provided  with  bread,  butter,  coffee,  and  sugar  ;  the  game  was 
also  abundant,  and  we  had  but  to  select.     I  never  saw  so 
many  ducks,  geese,  bustards,  swans,  and  wild  turkeys,  in 
such  a  short  trip.     At  our  last  encampment,  attracted  with- 
out doubt  by  the  sight  of  the  fire  which  sparkled  at  our  feet, 
a  noble  stag  approached  us,  trampling  with  his  feet-— a  little 
.nore,  and  wo  might  have  had  our  skulls  broken  in  by  this 
enraged  animal.     It  aroused  the  pilot,  who,  seizing  the  gun 
that  was  lying  beside  me,  discharged  it  about  two  inches 
from  my  ear.     This  report  awaked  me  suddenly,  without, 
however,  frightening  me. 

During  my  route,  except  the  Sioux,  I  saw  only  one  Indian 
hunter,  and  one  single  village,  that  of  the  Omahas.  What  a 
contrast . with  the  beautiful,  little,  and  populous  Belgium! 
The  huts  of  the  Omahas  are  built  of  earth,  and  are  conical ; 
their  circumference  at  the  base,  one  hundred  and  twenty  to 
one  hundred  and  forty  {eet.  To  construct  them,  they  plant 
in  the  ground  long  and  thick  poles,  bend  and  join  together 
all  the  ends,  which  are  fastened  to  about  twenty  posts  in  the 
inside.  These  poles  are  afterwards  covered  with  bark,  over 
which  they  put  earth  about  a  foot  in  depth,  and  then  cover 
the  whole  with  turf.  They  look  like  small  mounds.  A 
large  hole  in  the  summit,  permits  light  to  enter  and  smoke 


Irtl 


AND  MrsSIONAIlIEB. 


329 


to  cscnpo.     Tho  flro-plaoe  in  iu  the  centre,  and  every  hut 
holds  from  six  to  ten  tainilios. 

A  young  French  Cnfole.conduot.Ml  his  wife  to  me,  to  Imvo 
her  instructed  in  our  holy  roligion.     He  came  down  with 
J.er  quite  recently  from  beyond  the  Kooky  Mountains,  n  dis- 
tance of  eleven  or  twelve  hundred  lea.^n.es.     Tiie  recital  that 
Hhe  .trivos  mo  of  the  lif,,  jod  by  her  nation,  the  Ampajoots,  is 
truly  iK-artrendinrr.     The  soil  is  one  of  the  most  ungrateful ; 
they  have   no  gan.o  at  all.     If  they  hazard  leaving  th.-ir 
country,  tlieir  more  numerous  neighbors  kill  them  without 
mercy.     They  arc  without  clothes,  witiiout  habitations,  and 
roam  hko  wild  animals  in  the  prairies,  where  they  live  on 
roots,  grasshoppers,  and  large  ants.     They  crush  tho  last- 
nained  insects  between  two  stones,  and  make  a  species  of 
cake  of  them,  which  they  cook  in  the  sun  or  before  a  fire, 
to  regale  themselves  with  after.     This  poor  Indian  woman, 
aged  about  twenty-five  years,  had  never  eaten  meat.     Her 
astonishment  was  excessive  when  she  first  saw  chickens,  picrg, 
cows,  and  oxen,  with  other  domestic  fowls  and  arlinuils,  ru'L- 
liing  about  our  dwellings.     As  soon  as  she  is  sufllciently  in- 
structed  to  receive  baptism,  I  will  name  her  Isabella,  and 
you  shall  be  her  godmother.    Therefore  do  not  forget  tho 
poor  Ampajoot  in  your  prayers. 

Your  liitter  that  you  mentioned,  dated  July,  did  not  reach 
me.  Tho  distance  is  about  two  thousand  miles,  and  tho 
dangers  are  great.  My  letter  to  the  Carmelites  is  about  the 
same  as  this.  I  am,  excellent  Mother, 

Your  devoted  servant, 

P.  J.  De  Smkt,  S.  J. 
280 


I;     :♦     ■   f! 


l-^ 


11 


I    ,1 


830 


WESTEUN   MISSIONS 


■  ; 

^^^^^1 

^H 

,;, 

ll  ll' 


il"i 


•   LcUer  XXVI. 

To  THE  Editor  of  tick  Pitfccis  lIiBTomyuEs,  Brubsels. 

7'he  Potawatomiea. 

r»ther  Duerlnok,  of  the  Society  of  Johus,  to  Rer.  P.  J.  .De  Smot,  of  the  sam* 

tiwlity, 

Rav.  Fatiikr: 

Called  from  Bardstown  coUego  to  Imsten  on  and  com- 
plete the  work  bo^nm  by  my  predecessor,  who  for  several 
years  had  presided  over  this  mission,  I  arrived,  early  in  No- 
vember, 1849,  at  St.  Mary's,  and  was  received  with  tho 
warmest  welcome  by  my  religious  brethren. 

I  wa.s  accompanied  by  two  lay -brothers.  One  was  to  act 
as  treasurer,  tho  other  as  cook.  A  third  brother  joined  us 
in  tho  course  of  tho  fall,  and  we  made  him  herdsman.  They 
also  sent  a  young  Irishman  to  teach  tho  boys  in  our  school 
English,  having  boon  fur  some  tiino  deprived  of  that  branch 
for  want  of  a  teacher.  It  was  intended,  too,  that  he  should 
form  them  to  virtue,  as  far  as  he  was  capable. 

We  Bet  to  work.  Although  one  of  tho  brothers  aban- 
doned us  suddenly,  yet,  thanks  to  the  protection  of  the  Al- 
mighty, we  succeeded  in  covering  in  tho  buildings  in  course 
of  erection  before  the  cold  set  in. 

We  cannot  hero  pass  over  in  silence  tho  aid  afforded  us,  in 
our  misery,  by  the  Association  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith.  Tlieir  ch;iri(y,  which  embraces  the  whole  world, 
gave  us  six  hundred  dollars,  and  this  sum,  increased  by  the 
five  thousand  dollars  grautod  by  government,  as  weii  as  sov- 


m 


AND   MISSIONS KIU8. 


881 


RU88EL8. 


tnte«n  hundred  dulluru  «|.oritaneoimly  offorod  by  our  nco- 
phyteM,  funiUhod  means  to  lay  at  IcuHt  tho  foundation  of 
tho  work. 

Ill  tho  oarly  part  of  1860  our  mission  contained  seven 
momberH;  three  Fathers  an.l  four  hiy-broihers.  The  Ladies 
of  the  Sacred  Ueart  were  five. 

Our  first  earo  was  devoted  to  tho  instruction  of  youth. 
Wo  felt  that  if  we  could  thereby  gain  the  parents,  our  school 
would  daily  increase  in  numbers,  while  those  of  the  Jiaptista 
would  be  deserted.  But  the  sky  became  clear  and  serene 
only  after  a  storm. 

There  is  in  this  country  a  certain  class  of  men  called 
medicinemen,  or  jugglers.     Very  ignorant,  they  are  distin- 
guished  only  by  the  pride  of  their  character.     They  have  re- 
ceived some  vague  notions  about  the  Catholic  religiop,  and 
utterly  despise  the  acquisition  of  the  heavenly  goods,  a  love 
of  which  we  endeavor  to  infuse  into  tho  children.     They  de- 
mand from  us  temporal  aid,  which  our  poverty  does  not 
enable  us  to  give.     This  gives  rise  to  dissatisfaction,  and 
even  threats  and  insults.     Some  wicked  ones  made  it  a 
ground  for  exciting  tho  people  against  us.     They  drew  com- 
parisons between  the  Protestant  schools  and  ours.    The  con- 
sequence of  all  this  was,  that  a  great  number  of  boys  and 
girls  were,  so  to  speak,  wrested  from  our  school  and  taken, 
in  spite  of  themselves,  to  tho  Baptist  school.     Elated  by  thiJ 
first  success,  the  partisans  of  that  sect  did  not  hesitate  to  say 
openly  that  our  school  and  mission  would  soon  close.     But 
we  are  convinced,  on  the  one  hand,  that  there  is,  in  the 
apostolic  career,  no  good  enterprise  that  the  devil  does  not 
seek  to  embarrass;  and,  on  the  other,  relying  on  the  justice 
of  our  cause,  and  the  almighty  protection  of  God,  always 
hoped  that  this  storm  would  soon  pass,  and  that  excited 
minds  would  resume  tueu-  ordinary  calm. 


I 


f     ,  J* ' 


ft'  '.  S  1 


832 


wnmsy  ximions 


"Wtj  liml,  too,  In  a  nmtmt>r,  to  niuiiitiiin  tlio  wnr  ngnlnit 
our  own  noopli) ten.     All  who  Imvo  viwitu'l  llioso  |mitH  are 
well  awaic!  tliut  thtno  Afuhmin  of  tli<!  wo'mIh  l»o;f  tlu-ir  bn'ad, 
wlietlifi-  |iit'Nrt.Ml  by  want  or  not,  uti<l  you  coiiHiaiitly  lioar 
llumi  iv|)(«atiii^' :    "  I   am   liuiijjjry."     AiM-onliiij;  to  oiio  of 
their  tia<litit»iiH,  ihcy  hi-liovo  th.it  all  that  an  imliviilual  poii- 
Bt'sst's  in  piivutu  liolont,'^,  of  full  ri|,'ht,  to  tho  wholo  villago. 
Tho  i>rt'vi<nw  years,  an  our  Kalhcrs  had  no  «cln)lars  to  fee«l, 
they  wore  ahlu  to  give  abumiant  aims,  with  a  t-ertain  pro- 
fusion, to  thu  tribe  conHilcd  to  their  care,  and  this  was  a 
potent  means  of  gaininijf  tho  ntl't'ition  and  esteem  of  all  :  but 
cireunwtancoH  ha<l  ehanty'd  ;  we,  too,  had  to  ehiingo  <nir  tae- 
tii-.H,  and  wo  did  not  i'wl  that  wo  (!ould  ufivo  so  lavishly  out  of 
Uuor-i  what  wo  needed  so  much  within.     Wo  had,.con8e- 
quently,  to  restrict  ourselves  to  niding,  as  far  as  our  mcaoB 
permitted,  those  really  in  dislrcps.     As  for  the  others,  wo 
told  them  that  they  ought,  by  their  own  labor,  to  obtain 
wherewith  to  live;  that  such  was  tho  law  of  the  Sovereign 
Master,  and  that  if  they  obeyed  it  faithfidly,  they  would 
Boon  have  every  thing  in  abundance  ;  that  their  health  would' 
also  be  belter.     We  especially  sought  to  inculcate  that,  by 
destroying  idleness,  tho  source  of  all  evil,  they  would  soon 
experience  in  their  soul  the  joy  and  happiness  which  a  life 
Banclilied  by  the  pra3tice  of  Christian  virtues  affords.     Our 
counsels  made  some  iminession  on  a  small  number  of  tho 
most  sensible  ;  but  for  the  rest,  especially  at  first,  the  food 
waa  too  spiritual  for  them  to  relish.     Hence  many,  if  they 
did  not  accuse  us  of  avarice,  at  least,  reproached  us  with 
beiu'T  too  hanlhearted.     Yet,  as  there  was  really  no  ill-will 
among  them,  and,  by  CukVs  grace,  tlit^y  saw  all  the  pain  and 
trouble  we  took  for  llu;  salvation  of  their  souls,  they  did  not 
long  listen  to  their  most  deadly  enemy,  but  returned  to  bet' 
ter  feelings. 


m 


AND   MI88IONAKII1. 


838 


TowartN  (lio  lailor  p.-^rt  of  Fchninry,  Fatlior  ITook.-n,  afl*r 
K'virijf  tho  ei^'lit  .layn'  r.ir..at  in  ..iir  misHion,  HfaiU'.l  lor  Ht. 
LoiiiH,  whciicu  h.)  i.r..oi;o.lf.|  to  Mi.-I.ij^aii,  t„  hmm*,!  tliu  I'ota- 
WHt..rnit.H  of  tl.ut  Stuto.     It  wnul.l  Im  imjM.HHil,!,,  to  .|..H.rilM) 
tlio  joy  oxpi.riorKx'.l  by  theso  poor  nwu  of  tliu  woo.in  at  tlio 
HiK»'t  of  ft  iiiiniNter  of  the  (Jospd,  wlioso  f,m'at  ai,'«  r.in.i.-ro.l 
Iiim  so  vcnorahio,  and  who  prodaitned  the  fU-rlial  triitli  in 
thoir  own  lungnage.     Fatliur  Ilock.-ii,  unablo  to  prolong  hii 
May,  lt!ft  tlicm,  after  a  fow  days,  to  the  great  regret  of  all. 
IIo  iiiuno.liut.-Iy  retiirncd  to  tlioso  whom  ho  could  so  ju«tly 
call  hJH  children  in  (Jhrist,  hiitiging  a  layd)iotlu)r  to  teach 
the  hoys.     Another  brother  had  joined  us,  not  long  before, 
who  acted  as  Hhoeinaker,  and,  at  the  same  time,  endeavored 
to  restore  fionicwhat  our  littlo   church  choir,  which  had 
greatly  declined. 

Ab  the  rotawatotnies  occupy  a  largo  tract,  in  order  to 
afford  more  easily  the  consolations  of  religion  to  all  the  Cath- 
olics, wo  have  erected  two  chinches  beyond  the  Kansas,  one, 
dedicated  to  Our  Lady  of  Dolors,  is  about  sevetiteen  miles  from 
our  residence;  Iho  other,  dedicated  to  St.  Joseph,  is  in  a  little 
village  six  miles  hence.    lieforo  erecting  these  two  churches, 
wo  agreed  that  every  Sunday  one  of  our  Fathers  should  go 
to  celebrate  the  Holy  Sacrilice  alternately,  in  one  of  the  two. 
St.  Joseph's  village  has  a  Ihiptist  establishment,  where 
children  arc  instructed.     Boys  are  mixed  up  with  girls,  and 
it  is  needless  to  say  that  this  cannot  be  without  detriment 
to  morality.     The  superintendent  of  the  school  is  a  physi- 
cian also ;  so  that,  being  at  the  same  time  teacher,  physician, 
and  preacher  of  the  Word  of  God,  as  he  says,  he  enjoys  a 
triple  income  not  to  be  despised.     He  has  been  among  the 
Potawatomies  since  ho  was  a  boy,  but  all  liis  eftbrts  to  win 
them  to  his  doctrines  have  been  thus  far  fruitless.     He  had 
formerly  one  adherent,  but  one  day  he  happened  to  sell  his 


BS4t 


WESTEEN   MISSIONS 


:l     '<:> 


HM 


llll 


frfends  a  grcvt  deal  of  strong  liquor,  and  they  becominrr 
intoxicated,  rushed  on  the  Baptist  house  and  burst  in  the 
doors  with  great  uproar.  In  consequence,  the  only  neophyte 
they  had  in  the  country  was,  ipao  facto,  visited  with  major 
excommunication  as  they  call  it.  The  Catholics  have  such 
an  aversion  for  the  Protestant  ministers,  that  they  will  not 
even  receive  them  as  physicians.  We  will  cite  one  fact, 
although  we  cannot  approve  it.  It  will  show  how  greatly 
the  Catholics  fear  being  perverted  by  the  Protestants. 

A  woman  was  dangerously  ill.  As  soon  as  the  Protestant 
minister  heard  it  he  went  to  see  her  as  a  physician,  though 
without  ceasing  to  be  a  minister.  When  he  arrived  at  the 
sick  woman's  house  he  was  met  by  some  very  stout  men, 
who  called  out :  "  What  brings  you  here  ?"  "  I  come,"  replied 
the  minister,  "  to  bring  medicines  to  the  sick  person,  and  I 
am  sure  that  she  will  be  helped."  "  We  have  medicines  as 
good  as  yours,"  they  replied,  roughly.  «'  If  you  will  not  let 
me  give  her  remedies,  at  least  permit  me  to  offer  her  some 
consolation."  "Gently;  she  needs  rest,  not  consolation." 
♦' But  let  me  see  her."  *' No,  she  will  not  see  any  one."  At 
these  words  the  minister  retired,  accusing  us  as  the  authors 
of  his  ill  reception,  and  vowing  summary  vengeance. 

In  fact,  a  few  days  after,  one  of  our  community,  called  by 
a  sick  man,  went  to  see  him.  At  the  door  of  the  lodge  he 
found  a  furious  young  man,  who  addressed  him  in  about 
these  terms :  "  The  sick  man  has  been  confided  to  my  care ; 
the  physician  does  not  want  him  troubled,  so  that  you  shall 
not  see  him."  The  Father  replied  in  a  calm  but  firm  tone, 
that  he  was  a  priest  and  not  a  doctor ;  that  he  had  no  inten- 
tion of  contravening  the  doctor's  orders ;  that  he  gave  him 
all  due  respect ;  that  he  had  still  less  intention  of  troubling 
the  sick  person ;  that,  on  the  contrary,  he  came  to  afford 
him  the  consolations  of  our  holy  religion ;  that  as  he  had 


^^1 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


885 


been  called  in  by  the  sick  man  himself,  he  would  not  go 
without  seeing  him.  On  this  the  young  man  desisted  ;  but 
at  the  very  moment  the  miuister,  who  had  kept  out  of  sight 
in  the  house,  appeared  and  apologized  for  the  young  man's 
conduct. 

A  Methodist  minister  also  came  along.     He  tried  to  sow 
cockle  among  the  Potawatomies.    As  he  had  resided  nearly 
twenty  years  among  the  Ottos,  he  speaks  the  Potawatomie 
with   uncommon   ease.     He,  too,   settled   in   St.  Joseph's, 
hoping  to  gain  the  people  more  easily,  as  they  were  remote 
fi-om  us.    He  especially  endeavored  to  get  the  chief  (Joseph 
Mechkomi)  into  his  toils.     Fortunately,  however,  he  was  not 
a  man  to  be  caught  by  words.     One  day  the  minister  went 
to  see  him,  and  found  him  reading  the  Bible.     "  What  are 
you  reading  ?"  said  he,  as  he  entered.     "  The  Woi'd  of  God," 
replied  Mechkomi.     "  And  what  does  the  Lord  say  to  you  ?" 
"He  says,  'beware  of  false  prophets,  for  they  will  come  in 
the  form  of  lambs,  but  within  they  will  be  ravening  wolves.' " 
Then,  he  added,  in  a  still  firmer  tone,  «  And  do  you  stop  lay- 
ing snares  for  us,  or  go  elsewhere,  for  here  you  lose  your 
time  and  trouble."     The  minister,  astonished,  took  the  ad- 
vice, and  withdrew  to  another  part.- 

The  following  is  a  general  view  of  the  spiritual  fruit  that, 
with  God's  grace,  we  have  been  enabled  to  gather  this  year. 
I  will  sum  up  all  briefly.  Fifty  couples  have  been  united  in 
the  holy  bonds  of  marriage;  36  dead  have  been  buried 
with  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  Church ;  we  have  heard  about 
6000  confessions;  117  persons,  including  30  adults^  have 
received  holy  baptism.  I  will  relate  the  conversion  of  but 
three,  because  they  are  the  most  remarkable,  and  sufiice  to 
show  us  the  infinite  goodness  and  mercy  of  God  to  sinners. 
The  first  of  these  converts,  Chawnekwok  by  name,  had 
experieaccd  for  years  the  inward  struggle  of  grace,  which 


!! 


V 

k 


\M 


liii 


l!|l 


.1  I, 


836 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


urged  him  to  briMle  his  passions  and  devote  himself  to  God's 
service;  but  he  had  always  resisted  this  appeal  till  he  was 
was  fur  advanced  in  years.  At  last,  however,  alarmed  by 
the  thought  of  eternal  pains,  and  pursued  night  and  day  by 
remorse  of  conscience,  he  durst  no  longer  defer,  and  resolved 
to  srive  himself  forever  unreservedly  to  his  Creator  and  Sov- 
ereign  Lord.  Then,  painting  his  face  various  colors,  he  went 
to  a  priest  and  imparted  his  courageous  resolve.  He  told 
him  at  the  same  time,  that  he  had  selected  for  his  abode  a 
spot  near  the  church  ;  that  he  would  soon  return  to  his  fam- 
ily to  acquaint  his  wife  with  his  design ;  that  then,  having 
washed  his  face,  he  would  come  back  to  be  instructed  in  the 
faith.  For  a  month  our  good  old  man  used  every  imagina- 
ble means  to  gain  his  wife  to  Christ,  or  at  least  to  bring  her 
with  hira  to  the  village.  As  nothing  could  induce  her,  but 
instead  of  yielding  she  only  increased  in  obstinacy,  he  ad- 
dressed her  in  about  these  terms :  "  Go,  wretched  woman ! 
go  on  provoking  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty ;  for  my  part,  I 
shall  not  expose  myself  to  the  eternal  flames  of  hell  on  your 
account!"  After  these  words  he  left  her,  and  came  to  reside 
with  the  Christians.  Desirous  of  ridding  himself  of  all  that 
had  formerly  served  for  the  worship  of  the  devil,  he  placed 
in  the  missionary's  hands  a  bag  full  of  medicines  and  herbs, 
begging  him  to  choose  such  as  could  really  help  the  sick, 
and  to  destroy  all  those  to  which  a  magical  or  a  supersti- 
tious power  was  attributed.  Some  were  very  strange.  To 
some  were  ascribed  power  to  kill  enemies,  even  at  a  great 
distance ;  to  others,  power  to  attract  whole  herds  of  stags ; 
to  others,  power  of  getting  the  coat,  pistol,  or  other  articles  of 
a  person  met  on  the  way.  There  were  some,  too,  to  win  the 
friendship  of  whoever  you  wished,  and  to  excite  in  others 
improper  thoughts.  All  these  objects,  and  many  others 
which  the  devil  employs  to  deceive  the  people,  were  commit- 


iiii  II,  1 1 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


837 


Uid  to  the  flames,  in  tlie  presence  of  the  good  old  man,  who 
at  the  sight  felt  such  profound  joy  that  he  could  not  refraia 
from  tears.  After  a  duo  probation,  ho  received  holy  bap- 
tism. From  that  moment  he  changed  completely  his  mode 
of  life;  in  all  the  difficulties  and  miseries  of  life,  he  main- 
tained so  calm  and  cheerful  a  spirit,  that  the  missionary] 
could  not  help  one  day  asking  him  the  reason :  "  Father, 
once  our  name  is  inscribed  in  heaven  in  the  Book  of  Life, 
nothing  should  afflict  us  on  this  earth." 

Chawuekwok,  having  seen  and  felt  himself  how  sweet  it  is 
to  serve  the  Lord,  ardently  desired  to  communicate  his  hap- 
piness to  the  members  of  his  family.  He  took  especial 
care  of  a  niece  aged  about  eight.  By  a  pious  stratagem, 
he  induced  her  parents  to  let  the  little  girl  come  and  live 
with  him.  In  three  days  he  taught  her  all  the  prayers  that 
catechumens  are  accustomed  to  learn,  and  then  took  her  to 
the  priest  to  be  regenerated  in  the  waters  of  baptism. 

lie  then  tried  to  gain  his  own  son,  who,  at  last,  gave  him 
as  much  consolation  as  he  had  given  him  paia  at  first. 
This  young  man  had  formerly  been  among  the  catechumens ; 
but  he  was  such  a  slave  to  vice,  and  his  relapses  were  so  fre- 
quent, that  the  missionary,  finding  him  deaf  to  his  father's 
counsels  and  exhortations,  had  lost  all  hope  of  ever  gaining 
him,  and  resolved  to  abandon  him  to  the  tyranny  of  his 
shameful  passions.  The  pious  old  man,  on  learning  the  mis- 
sionary's resolution,  threw  himself  at  his  feet  and  implored 
him  with  tears  to  take  pity  on  his  wretched  son,  and  not  to 
give  him  up ;  he  told  him  that  he  would  go  and  see  him 
himself,  that  he  would  once  more  beseech  him  not  to  resist 
the  grace  of  God,  and  that  he  had  no  doubt  that  if  the  mis- 
sionary would  join  his  prayers  to  his,  the  lost  sheep  would 
return  to  the  fold.  The  missionary  could  not  resist  this 
touchinfif  appeal,  and  consented  to  accompany  him,  more 


•it- 


'I  ', 


It! 


^!  \ 


!    I 


338 


WESTEBN   MI88ION8 


I       i 


k  1 11. 


'( 


from  esteem  for  the  father,  than  from  hope  for  the  son.  The 
old  man  set  out  at  once,  although  it  was  midwinter,  and  he 
had  taken  nothing  that  day.  The  missiouaiy  followed  him 
closely,  and  had  the  consolation  of  restoring  to  the  strait 
path  of  virtue  this  new  prodigal  child,  gained  by  the  prayers 
and  tears  of  his  virtuous  father. 

God,  \»ho  shows  himself  so  good  and  so  merciful  to  the 
greatest  sinners,  will  certainly  not  forsake  those  whom  he 
beholds  leading,  amid  the  shades  of  heathenism,  a  more 
orderly  life.  The  Supreme  Truth  has  promised  that  heaven 
•will  not  refuse  ulterior  graces,  to  those  who  employ  well 
"what  they  have. 

The  realization  of  this  has  appeared  in  the  conversion  of 
a  woman    named  Misseniko.     She  was  dangerously  sick. 
Although  she  could  not  reproach  herself  with  any  grievous 
fault,  she  was  not  tranquil ;  for  she  knew  that  without  faith, 
it  is  impossible  to  please  God.     Hence,  without  delay— for 
she  always  did  what  she  deemed  the  surest  and  most  perfect 
—she  called  in  the  priest.    The  minister  of  the  Lord  taught 
her  what  God  required  of  her.     She  at  once  asked  and  re- 
ceived baptism.     With  every  desire  gratified,  she  constantly 
exclaimed  amid  the  pangs  of  sickness :  "  I  shall  die  will- 
ingly ;  for  I  have  received  holy  baptism.     I  shall  see  God 
and  all  his  saints  for  eternity."     The  conversion  of  this 
-woman  is  due,  we  believe,  in  a  great  measure  to  the  prayers 
of  her  daughter,  who  had  gone,  a  few  days  before,  to  receive 
her  reward  in  heaven.     Young  Misseniko  was  always  dis- 
tinguished for  her  tender  devotion  to  the  Mother  of  God. 
She  preserved,  with  great  respect,  the  scapular  which  she 
had  received  at  school.     She  held  this  object  of  devotion  in 
such  esteem  that,  during  her  illness,  while  delirious  she 
raised  her  hand  to  her  scapular  whenever  it  was  touched,  for 
fear  any  one  should  deprive  her  of  her  precious  treasure. 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


839 


>,  a  more 


The  pious  girl  died,  and  her  mother  bewailed  her  bitterly. 
But  one  nigljt  the  eldest  sister  of  the  deceased  saw  iier,  not 
in  a  dream,  as  she  herself  relates,  but  when  perfectly  awake, 
— saw  her  all  radiant  witli  light,  and  heard  her  utter  these 
words:  "Why  do  you  weep  so  bitterly  fur  me?  I  am  en- 
joying eternal  happiness.  I  died  in  the  morning,  as  you 
recollect,  and  I  remained  in  the  flames  of  expiation  till 
about  noon,  then  the  Blessed  Virgin  delivered  me  and  took 
me  up  to  heaven."  Although  stories  of  this  kind  should  not 
be  lightly  credited,  we  must  nevertheless  admit,  that  the 
Lord  is  admirable  in  his  saints,  and  in  his  manner  of  guiding 
his  elect. 

And,  doubtless,  the  sun  of  divine  justice  enlightens  all 
men.  God  wills  not  the  death  of  the  sinner,  but  that  he  be 
converted  and  live,  lie  not  only,  so  to  speak,  goes  forth  to 
meet  those  who  come  towards  him,  but  he  even  pursues 
those  who  fly  from  him ;  ho  urges,  he  ])resses  them  con- 
stantly to  do  penance,  that  thereby  wo  may  better  under- 
stand that  what  good  there  is  in  us,  is  not  due  to  our  own 
merits,  but  to  his  sole  goodness,  to  the  infinite  mercy  of 
God. 

Here  is  a  remarkable  instance.  There  was  in  the  south- 
ern pait  of  our  mission,  a  man  named  Kamchas,  a  slave  of 
liquor,  and  of  all  the  vices  which  usually  attend  that  bad 
habit.  One  night,  he  was  suddenly  awakened  from  a  deep 
sleep,  and  seemed  to  hear  a  voice  cry  :  "  One  of  your  rela- 
tives has  just  died  suddenly  over  the  river.  Get  ready,  for 
you  will  soon  follow  him."  At  first,  Kamchas  took  this  cry 
for  a  dream,  endeavored  to  banish  the  disagreeable  idea,  and 
get  to  sleep  again  ;  but  the  terrible  voice  troubled  him.  To 
calm  his  mind,  he  crossed  the  river  as  soon  as  it  was  day 
and  came  to  our  village.  He  had  hardly  got  there,  when, 
to  his  amazement,  he  heard  of  the  death  of  a  young  kius- 


I' 


I;; 


I 


|!|     5 


I  \i 


840 


W'ESTEItN    MISSIONS 


man.  Yon  mny  easily  conceive  liis  feelings,  his  pain,  and 
his  anguish.  One  day,  while  reflecting  on  the  event,  and 
more  than  usually  troubled,  lie  met  tlie  missionary,  who,  see- 
ing him  persist  in  his  idolatry,  explained  to  him  the  duty  of 
all  men  to  know  and  servo  one  only  God,  creator  of  heaven 
and  earth,  lie  uigod  him  to  determine  the  course  of  his  future 
life,  and  to  make  an  humble  confession  of  liis  faults.  Kam- 
chas  hearkened  to  the  advice.  Four  weeks  after,  he  came 
to  the  Father,  humbly  to  solicit  baptism ;  but,  according  to 
custom,  obtained  this  favor  only  after  a  long  preparation. 
The  neophyte  really  put  oft'  the  old  man  to  put  on  tlie  new. 
Thenceforward  patience,  mildness,  temperance,  diligence,  a 
spirit  of  prayer,  and  a  remarkable  devotion  to  the  blessed 
sacrament,  were  the  virtues  most  resplendent  in  him.  When 
he  met  any  thing  difficult,  or  less  agreeable  to  corrupt  ma- 
ture, he  was  accustomed  to  excite  his  courage  by  words  like 
these:  "To  become  a  slave  of  Satan,  you  overcame  the 
greatest  difficulties;  and  you  cannot  surmount  a  little  one 
to  be  a  child  of  God !"  Although,  as  warned  from  above, 
he  spent  but  a  short  time  longer  on  earth,  he  thus  laid  up 
the  merits  of  a  long  life. 

Such  are.  Reverend  Father,  the  chief  benefits  receired 
from  heaven  during  the  year  1850;  and  for  which,  on  the 
31st  of  December,  we,  with  unanimous  voices,  thauked  God 
by  the  joyous  Te  Deum. 

Accept,  Rev.  Father,  the  assurance  of  my  profound  re- 
sp'^'it. 

Your  devoted  brother  in  Christ, 

J.  B.  DUERINCK,  S.  J. 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


341 


I 


.•  U 


i 


Leller  XXVIL 

To  THE  EdITOII  of  THE  I'ltfeCIS  lIlSTORIQUES,  BuUSSELS. 

Excursion  among  the  Potavcatomies, 

UxiVERsixy  OF  St.  Louis,  Fob.  2C,  1858. 
Rev.  and  dear  Father  : 

I  8(311(1  you  fi  copy  of  a  letter  that  I  addressed  to  Mrs. 
P.,  a  Belgian  lady,  residing  at  Brooklyn,  near  New  York. 
She  is  a  great  benefactress  of  the  missions.  My  letter  contains 
some  details  concerning  my  recent  visit  to  the  Potawato- 
mies,  on  the  actual  and  very  critical  state  of  those  Indians, 
and  of  all  the  nations  and  Indian  tribes  in  the  two  new  Ter- 
ritories of  Kansas  and  Nebraska. 

What  I  wrote  to  you  in  December,  18.51,  and  you  pub- 
lished in  the  Precis  Ilisloriqucs,  of  1853,  pages  398,  etc.,  has 
been  literally  verified.  A  great  number  of  towns  and  vil- 
lages have  sprung  up  in  it  as  if  by  enchantment.  The  prin- 
cipal towns  of  Kansas  are :  AVyandot,  Delaware,  Douglas, 
Marysville,  lola,  Atchinson,  Fort  Scott,  Pawnee,  Lecompton, 
Neosho,  Richmond,  Tecumseh,  Lavinia,  Lawrence,  Port  Wil- 
liam, Doniphan,  Paolo,  Alexandria,  Indianola,  Easton,  Leav- 
enworth, and  many  others.  They  differ  in  population  and 
improvements.  Lawrence  and  Leavenworth  are  the  most 
considerable.  This  latter,  which  is  now  an  episcopal  city, 
contains  already  more  than  8000  inhabitants.  They  project 
building  a  Territorial  university  in  the  town  of  Douglas.  A 
medical  college  is  established  at  Lecoinpton.     The  Uuiver- 

290 


•    ! 


34:2 


WESTEUN   MISSIONS 


^^^^^■^ 

^^9Hl[ 

^^^Kt' 

" '  ^il 

^Bi) 

I  9H  ^1 

'•  vl 

slty  of  Kansas  is  iiicorpor.atctl  and  established  nt  Leaven- 
worth. Funds  nro  sot  apart  tor  tlic  erection  of  schools,  on  a 
vast  scale.  They  accmo  tVora  tho  sale  of  lands  grunted  by 
the  United  States,  which  are  extraordinarily  extensive.  All 
flues,  pecuniary  penalties,  escheats,  ordaineil  by  law,  are  also 
to  bo  poured  into  the  treasury  of  the  schools  and  colleges. 

Two  months  from  this,  tho  Territory  of  Kansas  will  be 
admitted  as  an  independent  State,  and  will  form  a  portion  of 
the  great  confe<leration  of  the  United  States.  There  exists 
little  doubt,  at  present,  but  that  Kansas  will  adopt  tho  laws 
of  the  free  States— that  is  to  say,  there  will  be  ni)  slavery. 

Good  Father  Dueritick  has  left  a  manuscript  concerning  all 
that  passed  in  tho  Mission  of  St.  Mary's.  If  it  would  give  you 
pleasure,  I  will  send  it  to  you,  according  as  time  will  admit. 


Univkrsity  of  St.  Louis,  February  24,  1856. 

Mrs.  S.  p.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Madam  :—l  have  just  terminated  a  journey  of  over 
800  miles,  going  and  returning  in  the  midst  of  ice  and 
snow  by  (he  most  miserable  roads  and  in  wagons^  which 
increased  the  inconveniences  of  the  way.  On  my  return  to 
St.  Louis,  your  kind  let+^r  and  cliaritable  donations  were  re- 
mitted to  me.  Accept  my  most  humble  thanks,  with  my 
heaitfelt  gratitude.  I  will  assign  the  vestment  to  the  mis- 
sion of  tlie  Flat  Heads,  which  is  very  poor  in  church  furni- 
ture. I  hoi)e  to  find,  ill  the  beginning  of  sprin^v,  a  good  op- 
portunity of  dispatcliiiig  it  by  tiie  l,„ats  of  llic  Fur  Company. 
The  marine  plants  will  be  most  acrcpiable  to  tlui  Fathers  in 
our  colleges  ..r  XuMnr  and  Aii;werp,  in  Belgium,  and  will 
be  adiniied,  I  a;n  sure,  in  the  roHretions  (,f  those  two  estab- 
lishments.    Once  more,  uiiid.iiii,  r.-ceivc,  one  and  ;il!    -nv  :-i!i- 


AND  MISSIONABIES. 


S43 


cero  thanks  for  the  new  benefits  that  you  have  just  added 
to  tho  long  list  of  numerous  others,  commenced  many  yeara 
since ;  and  for  which  we  have  naught  but  poor  prayers  to 
render.  We  shall  not  cease  to  address  them  to  the  Lord, 
for  the  happiness  of  your  family  ;  and  I  will  appeal  to  our 
pious  Indians,  that  they  continue  to  pray  f.  r  their  kind 
Mothers — tlieir  good  benefactresses. 

The  occasion  of  the  voyage,  which  I  have  mentioned  in 
the  beginning  of  my  letter,  was  a  glimmer  of  hope  of  being 
able  to  discover  the  body  of  our  dear  brother  in  Jesus  Christ, 
tho  Rev.  Father  Duerinck.  Some  days  after  the  unfortu- 
nate accident,  the  captain  of  a  steamboat  had  seen  a  dead 
body  on  a  sand-bank,  near  the  place  of  the  accident,  and 
had  buried  it.  At  this  news  I  started  to  visit  that  solitary 
grave,  on  tlie  bank  of  the  Missouri,  near  the  town  of  Liberty. 
He,  whom  this  grave  contained,  was  not  the  brother,  the 
cherished  friend  and  relative  I  sought.  His  dress  denoted  a 
hand  on  some  boat.  I  was  very  much  grieved.  Our  peti- 
tions BO  far  have  not  been  heard.  We  hope,  however,  that 
the  great  St.  Anthony  of  Padua,  implored  by  so  many  pious 
souls,  will  be  propitious ;  and  I  beg  you  to  be  so  kind  as  to 
join  your  prayers  with  these  fervent  invocations.  It  would 
be  a  source  of  consolation  could  we  find  the  lost  remains  of 
Father  Duerinck,  and  inter  them  in  consecrated  ground,  be- 
side his  brethren  who  have  preceded  hira.  * 

From  the  town  of  Liberty  I  repaired  to  St.  Mary's,  in 
order  to  regulate  some  affairs  there.  I  began  the  mission  of 
the  Potawatomies  in  1838.  My  heart  seemed  to  dilate 
among  tlicse  good  children  of  the  plains,  where,  in  former 
days,  I  had  found  so  muny  consolations  in  the  exercises  of 
the  holy  ministry.  I  had  the  happiness  of  seeing  a  great 
number  of  Indians  approach  Holy  Communion,  with  the 
deeoest  recollectioa.     From  the  altar  I  addressed  thetn  seme 


M 


tr» 


II   ' 


ft 


844 


WESTKRN   MISSIONS 


11 


words  of  consoljitimi  niul  etioi'iriitfomcrit  in  tlio  Horvioo  of 
the  Diviiio  I'nHtor.  Tln-y  lijivi«  i^wtd  lu'cd,  fsiKjciiilly  ut 
prcKcnt,  (or  tliu  wliitcs  Iiuvk  siiiroiiinlt'd  llicin  on  all  nidcs; 
and  tliuy  will  »oon  lioni  tluMii  in  nioio  cIoHoly  on  their  own 
little  rc'Rcrvt's,  or  portions  of  ourth  tlmt  tliu  govcinnicnt  haa 
grunted  tlicnn. 

I  am  aware,  madani,  that  you  fake  a  deep  interest  in  tlio 
welfare  of  the  poor  Indians.  Allow  me,  therefore,  to  con- 
verso  with  yoii  some  moments  on  their  position  in  p'licral, 
and  in  partieidar  of  what  concerns  the  Indians  of  St.  Marv's 
among  the  rotawatomirs. 

At  the  period  of  my  airival  among  the  I'otawatomies  (in 
1838),  the  nation  numbered  beyond  4U()0  souls.  It  is  now 
reduced  to  3000,  of  whom  'JOOO  are  Catholics.  All  the  sur- 
rounding tribes  have  diminished  in  the  same  ratio. 

To  what  are  we  to  attribute  this  rapid  decrease  of  the  In- 
dian race?  This  is  one  of  tlioso  mysteries  of  Providenco 
that  all  the  sagacity  of  philosophy  has  in  vain  endeavored 
to  penetrate.  The  iniiiiodeiate  use  of  intoxicating  liijuors, 
change  of  climate  and  of  diet,  vices,  pestilential  nndadies  (all 
these  evils  which  contact  with  the  whites  produces  among 
savages),  improvidence  and  want  of  industry,  all,  united  or 
singly,  give,  it  appears  to  me,  but  an  imperfect  solution  of 
this  great  problem.  Whence  is  it  that  the  red-man  bends 
with  such  ditliculty  to  the  manners  and  custotns  of  the  Euro- 
pean race?  Whence  is  it  again,  that  the  European  race 
refuses  so  obstinately  to  sympathize  with  the  red  race;  and 
notwithstanding  its  pliilanthroj>y,  or  love  of  mankind,  seems 
rather  disposed  to  annihilate  than  to  civilize  these  j)oor  chil- 
dren, offspring  of  the  same  Father?  Whence  springs  that 
insurmountable  barrier  between  the  two  races?  AVhence  is 
it  tliat  the  stronger  pursues  the  weaker  witli  such  an  ani- 
mosity, and  never  relents  until  the  latter  is  overtlirowu  ? 


USD  MISSIONARIES. 


S45 


There  is  involved  iti  tlii«,  p«ilmp«,  a  secrot  thut  none  but  iho 
Jiidffo  Supremo  can  explain. 

Often  when  I  rcHcut  on  the  position  of  ho  nmny  barbarous 
nations,  who  fornicrly  were  the  owners  of  luinu-nHo  couritrivs, 
and  wiiich  are  at  the  present  (lay  in  iniinincnt  (hmtjer  of  be- 
ing totally  diHpos.soHse.l  l»y  aiiothtr  pcopK',  [  call  to  mind  the 
primitive  inhabitatits  (»f  PaloHtiii.',  who,  masters  also  of  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  countries  in  tlio  world,  saw  themselves 
deprived  of  it  by  a  severe  but  most  just  judgment  of  the  Cre- 
ator, whose  menaces  tlicy  had  (lespised  and  whoso  glory  they 
had  profaned.  Like  the  Canaanitos,  the  savage  tribes,  taken 
in  general,  liavo  been  punished  gradually.  Perhaps  they,  like 
them,  have  been  too  long  deaf  to  tho  divine  voice,  inviting 
them  to  (piit  their  gross  errors  and  embrace  the  doctrines  of 
truth.  Who  has  entered  into  the  coimoils  of  Eternal  Wis- 
dom? Who  can  accuse  ids  judgments  of  injustice?  Can- 
not God,  to  whom  tho  whole  creation  belongs,  dispose  of  his 
property  according  to  his  own  good  pleasure  ?  ]}ut  in  dis- 
playing his  justice,  ho  forgets  not  his  mercy.  Here  below 
ho  strikes  only  to  heal.  Ilis  divine  heart  is  ever  open  to 
those  oven  whose  iniquities  ho  ;  unishes. 

The  melancholy  changes  to  which  the  condition  of  the 
Indian  has  been  subjected  within  a  few  years,  has  led  mo  to 
these  mournful  reflections.  Under  tho  administration  of 
President  l^ierco,  the  whole  vast  Indian  country  within  thu 
liocky  Mountains,  comprehended  in  the  Vicariate  of  Bishop 
Miege  (except  a  little  portion  situated  towards  the  south),  has 
been  organized  into  two  territories,  known  under  the  names 
of  Kansas  and  Nebraska;  that  is  to  say,  that  the  Congress 
has  decreed  that  tin's  country  is  incorporated  into  the  Unioa 
and  open  to  the  whites  who  are  willing  to  settle  there,  in 
order  to  form,  after  a  lapse  of  time,  two  States,  similar,  in  all 
respects,  to  tho  other  Stu.tes  of  the  o-reat  republic,    Althouiyb. 


.  .1 


11 ' ' 


3iC 


ITKRN    MISSIONS 


Ir!  I 


SHI 


i 


for  the  mmncnt,  tlui  now  coloni^tn  littva  ordcn  to  rc«i>cct  tho 
toniloricrt  or  llu-  UihIh  rfHerved  to  tho  HftVftKi'«,  vo  may 
novHllidess  nuy  that  this  dccico  hftH  virtuully  .loHtroy«a  all 
tho  Indiuii  nulioimlitien.     sJftrcoIy  w.i«  tho  hiw  known  thmi 
tho  emigrants,  liko  th«  wutorn  of  ii  great  river  which  hjw 
overHowca  itn  bunks,  iinixtiKnjsIy  pfwscd  tho  barrier  and 
inunduted   tho    country.     Now  seo  tho   poor   Indians   sur- 
rounded by  white  men,  and  their  reserves  furmitiK  httlo 
more  than  islets  amid  tho  ocean.     Tho  savages,  who  beforo 
ha.l  vast  countries  for  tlieir  hunting  grounds,  are  at  present 
restricted  within   narrow  limits,  having  naught  for  subsist- 
once  but  the  product  of  their  farms,  which  few  of  them 
know    how    to    cultivate    properly.      Again,   this    state    is 
only  precarious.     Unless  they  hasten  to  divide  their  lands 
and  bccomo  citizens,  they  are  in  danger  of  losing  all,  and 
of  being  naught  but  vagabonds.     How  replete  with  diffi- 
culties Ts  such  a  change !     What  a  stormy  and  tempestu- 
ous future  for  these  unfbrtunato  tribes!     Tho  evil  is  great, 
but  it  is  ono  that  must  be  encountered,  since  there  is  no 
romedy.     Tho  Indians,  even  tho  most  advanced  in  civiliza- 
tion, seem  to  us  ill  prepared  to  meet  all  the  exigencies  of 

their  situation. 

In  order  to  form  a  just  idea  of  their  critical  position,  and 
of  the  melancholy  consequences  which  will  bo  tho  result, 
unless  restrained  by  a  special  protection  of  Divine  Trovi- 
dencc,  imagine  two  societies— one  representing  the  manners 
and  customs  of  barbarians,  tho  other  all  tho  splendor  of 
modern  civilization— coming  in  contact.  How  many  years 
will  elapse  bcjfore  there  will  be  a  perfect  fusion  between  the 
two  societies,  beforo  unison  will  exist,  before  they  can  dwell 
together  in  complete  harmony  ?  Much  time  will  be  required 
ere  the  barbarous  state  will  attain  the  height  of  the  civilized ! 
xT^uu^v  ti>'^  f\raL  n*^''  tho  aon.ond.  nor  the  third  generation, 


AMD  MlfifilUNAKIEfl. 


M 


notwitlmtanding  untiring  oflfDrtfl,  would  obtam  th»t  happy 
ro»ult,  •uch  M  lh»)  thing  is  undcTBtooU  in  our  dayi.  Hence, 
provioiu  to  a  porfuct  fusion  bctwoon  tho  socictieH,  tho  civil- 
iit'd  Hocioty  will  hiivo  tho  lulvuuUgti  over  tho  barbaioua ;  it 
will  have  it  entirely  at  itn  niorcy,  lo  make  it  subservient  to 
its  will  and  plettHuro.  In  ii  word,  the  barbarian  can  no  bel- 
ter Bustiiin  itMilt*  in  prcHenco  of  civilisation,  than  the  *itu- 
plicity  of  childhood  can  contest  against  the  malicious  pru- 
dence of  mature  age.  This,  in  my  opinion,  is  what  will  b« 
realized  in  the  Great  Desert,  when  the  copper-colored  race 
will  come  in  contact  with  tho  white.  The  judgment  of  the 
savage  is  not  sufficiently  ripe  to  be  able  to  compete  with  the 
wisdom  of  man  born  in  tho  bosom  of  civilization.  It  is  thia 
conviction  which  fills  us  with  anxiety  for  tho  future  of  our 
dear  neophytes  in  the  dill'orent  nussions.  We  confide  solely 
in  Divine  Goodness,  which,  wo  hope,  will  not  fail  to  come  to 
the  help  of  his  children. 

It  was  not  difficult  to  descry  from  afar  that  grand  event 
which  must  engulf,  in  one  common  wreck,  nil  the  Indiaa 
tribes.  The  storm  which  has  just  burst  forth  over  their  head* 
was  long  preparing ;  it  could  not  escape  the  observing  eye. 
We  saw  tlie  American  republic  soaring,  with  the  rapidity  of 
tho  eagle's  flight,  towards  the  plenitude  of  her  power.  Every 
year  she  adds  new  countries  to  her  limits.  She  ambitit)ned 
nothing  less  than  extending  her  domination  from  the  Atlantic 
to  the  PacifK!,  so  as  to  embrace  tho  commerce  of  the  whole 
world,  and  dispute  with  other  mighty  nations  the  glory  of 
pre-eminence.  Iler  object  is  attained.  All  bend  to  her 
sceptre  ;  all  Indian  nationality  is  at  her  feet.  Far  be  it  from 
us,  however,  to  accuse  tho  noble  republic  of  injustice  and 
inhumanity  in  her  lute  treaties.  It  seems  to  us,  on  the  con- 
trary, that  no  nation  has  ever  furnished  them  more  means  of 
civilization.     If  any  one  must  be  blamed  on  this  point,  it  ii 


"$' 


I 


l! 

i 

J 

i 

348 


WESTEEN  MISSIONS 


rather  private  persons,  new  colonists,  who  aet  and  place 
themselves  in  direct  opposition  with  the  good  intentions  of 
the  government  in  beliulf  of  the  savages. 

But  though  the  future  appears  sombre  and  melancholy, 
the  past,  at  least,  leaves  not  tlie  missionaries  comfortless.  In 
the  space  of  the  last  ten  years,  our  Fathers  at  Saint  Mary's 
have  baptized  beyond  four  hundred  adults,  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  children.  The  Gospel  seed  has  not  fallen  on  sterile 
Boil.  The  greater  part  of  these  neophytes  have  always  given 
proofs  of  a  strong  faith  and  of  a  tender  piety.  The  heart  of 
the  missionary  is  soothed  with  an  imspeakable  joy,  on  wit- 
nessing their  assiduity  in  the  church,  their  ardor  in  approach- 
ing the  sacraments,  th  .ir  resignation  in  sickness,  their  natu- 
ral charity,  exercised  especially  in  regard  to  the  poor,  the 
orphans,  and  the  sick  ;  and,  above  all,  their  zeal  for  tha  con- 
version of  unbelievers.  They  are  styled  savages,  or  Indians ; 
but  we  may  boldly  assert  that,  in  all  our  great  cities,  and 
everywhere,  thousands  of  whites  are  more  deserving  of  this 
title. 

A  great  number  of  Potawatomies  have  made  considerable 
progress  in  agricultui-e,  and  live  in  a  certain  degree  of  afflu- 
ence. The  whites  who  pass  by,  and  visit  the  little  territory 
of  the  Potawatomies,  especially  in  the  environs  of  St.  Mary's 
mission,  are  agreeably  surprised.  They  find  it  difficult  to 
believe  that  they  are  among  Indians. 

It  must  be  acknowledged  that  the  Potawatomies  have 
been  specially  favored  by  Heaven.  During  the  last  quarter 
of  a  century,  they  have  had  the  happiness  of  having  Black- 
gowns  among  them  ;  and,  during  sixteen  or  seventeen  years, 
they  have  Ladies  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  for  the  education 
of  their  girls.  The  mission,  on  its  present  footing,  with  its 
two  schools,  for  girls  and  boys,  is  a  double  advantage  for 
those  good  people.   The  children  acquire  there,  with  religious 


^1 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


349 


instruction,  the  love  of  industry ;  the  adults  find  employ- 
ment in  it,  and  hence  a  means  of  subsistence.  They  see,  by 
the  manual  labor  of  our  brothers,  what  man  can  acquire  by 
dilijxence. 

We  may  add,  that  God  has  treated  the  Potawatomies  with 
great  predilection.  lie  has  willed  that  several  nations 
should  contribute  to  their  salvation.  Such  are,  among  others, 
Belgium,  Holland,  Prance,  Ireland  and  Italy,  Germany, 
Canada,  and  the  United  States.  Each  of  these  countries 
has  oftcred  them  material  aid  and  missionaries.  Mgr.  Miege 
has  resided  among  them  four  years ;  hence  their  humble  tem- 
ple, constructed  of  logs,  has  be.,  a  exalted  to  the  rank  of 
cathedral. 

In  the  critical  conjuncture  in  which  they  stand  at  present — 
on  the  eve  of.  forming  a  last  treaty  with  the  Government  of 
the  United  States,  a  treaty  of  life  or  death  for  this  poor 
tribe— they  have,  in  the  person  of  Colonel  Murphy,  the  agent 
of  the  government,  an  advocate,  a  protector,  and  the  best  of 
fathers.  This,  madam,  leads  me  to  hope  that  God  has  very 
particular  designs  of  mercy  over  them,  and  that  he  will 
never  forsake  them.  In  the  moment  of  danger,  you,  I  am 
confider.t,  will  not  forget  them  in  your  charitable  prayers. 

Be  so  kind  as  to  recall  me  to  the  kind  remembrances  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.,  and  of  Miss  R.,  and  believe  me,  with  the 
most  profound  respect  and  esteem,  madam. 

Your  most  humble  and  most  obedient  servant, 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


I  have  the  honor  to  be,  reverend  and  dear  Father, 
Revse.  Yx.  in  Xto,, 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 
80 


I 


V- 


350 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


Letter  XXVIII. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Precis  Historiquks,  Brussels. 

TJie  Osages. 

Bbussels,  December,  185-, 
Rev.  Father: 

I  send  you  three  letters  of  the  Rev.  F.  Bax,  deceased. 
The  two  first,  under  date  of  the  1st  and  10th  of  June,  1850, 
have  been  published,  in  part,  in  the  "  Annals  of  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Faith,"  in  the  month  of  May,  1852  ;  the  third  has 
not  been  published,  that  I  am  aware  of;  it  is  the  last  letter, 
written  by  the  Rev.  F.  Bax.  You  are  well  acquainted  with 
the  merit  of  this  man  of  God,  so  prematurely  removed  from 
his  labors.  I  have  already  given  a  biographical  sketch  in  a 
letter  to  the  "  Precis  Historiques." 


s 

€ 

I 
I 


First  Letter  of  Father  Bax  to  Father  De  Smet. 

Mission  of  St.  Fbanois  Hieronymo,  among  the  Osages,  June  1, 1850, 
Rev.  and  very  dear  Father: 

Already  three  years  have  elapsed  since  we  commenced 
the  toils  of  our  mission.  I  will  say  nothing  to  you  of  the 
embarrassments  inseparable  from  such  an  enterprise;  you 
are  too  well  acquainted  with  this  ground,  and  are  aware, 
also,  that  to  prepare  it  for  cultivation,  exacts  the  courage  that 
Christian  charity  alone  can  inspire.    I  will  not,  therefore, 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


851 


stop  to  relate  the  obstacles,  the  fatigues  of  every  sort,  that  wo 
encountered  in  our  route.  At  present,  the  burden  is  allevi- 
ated ;  particularly  since  the  arrival  of  a  teacher  and  of  a 
brother,  the  affairs  of  the  mission  are  extending,  and  wear  a 
much  more  favorable  aspect. 

I  profit  by  ray  earliest  leisure  moments,  to  satisfy  the  de- 
sire that  you  have  several  times  testified  to  me,  of  having 
some  details  concerning  our  dear  mission  of  the  Osages.  I 
hope,  in  this  waj^,  to  offer  you  a  slight  testimony  of  our 
gratitude  for  the  interest  you  take  in  our  labors  and  in  our 
success.  These  marks  of  attention,  on  your  part,  Reverend 
Father,  give  us  the  assurance  that,  if  momentarily  you  re- 
main remote  from  your  dear  Indians,  your  heart  neverthe- 
less sig^:s  continually  towards  our  poor  and  isolated  children 
of  the  wild  solitude. 

You  are  aware,  that  this  mission  was,  during  several  years, 
in  the  hands  of  the  Presbyterians.  They  were  obliged  to 
abandon  it  in  1845.  Those  gentlemen  were  forced  to  come 
to  this  resolution  by  the  Indians  themselves,  who  were  fully 
determined  never  to  adopt  the  doctrine  of  Calvin.  In  the 
course  of  the  same  year.  Major  Harvey,  superintendent  of 
the  Indian  tribes,  having  assembled  in  Council  the  different 
tribes  of  the  Osage  nation,  exposed  to  them,  in  the  liveliest 
colors,  the  advantages  of  a  good  education  ;  he  added,  that 
if  such  should  prove  their  will,  their  Great  Father  (the  Presi- 
dent) would  send  them  missionaries  to  instruct  their  chil- 
dren. At  this  proposition,  the  Great  Chief  replied,  in  the 
name  of  the  Council : 

"  Our  Great  Father  is  very  kind ;  he  loves  his  red-skinned 
children.  Hear  what  we  have  to  say  on  this  subject.  We 
do  not  wish  any  more  such  missionaries  as  we  have  had  dur- 
ing several  years ;  for  they  never  did  us  any  good.  Send 
them  to  the  whites ;  perhaps  they  may  succeed  better  with 


1    '    i- 


If.  ■ ;  -1  ■ 


S52 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


them.  If  our  Great  Father  desires  that  we  have  missiona- 
ries, you  will  tell  liim  to  send  us  Black-gowns,  who  will 
teach  us  to  pray  to  the  Great  S[)irit  in  the  French  manner. 
Although  several  years  have  elapsed  since  they  have  visited 
us,*  we  always  remember  this  visit  with  gratitude;  and  we 
shall  be  ever  ready  to  receive  them  among  us,  and  to  listen 
to  their  preaching." 

The  superintendent,  a  just  and  liberal  man,  wished  only 
the  welfare  of  the  Indians.  Although  a  Protestant,  he  com- 
municated this  reply  to  the  Government,  and  supported  and 
confirmed  it  with  his  own  remarks  and  observations.  In 
pursuance  with  his  advice,  the  President  had  recourse  to  the 
Superiors  of  our  Society,  requesting  them  to  assume  the 
charge  of  this  mission. 

At  first,  the  Father  Provincial  oflered  some  objections, 
knowing  that  no  one  had  yet  been  able  to  succeed  in  ameli- 
orating the  condition  of  this  people,  under  the  double  rela- 
tion of  spiritual  and  temporal.  In  the  interval,  the  Indians 
were  in  the  most  painful  uncertainty,  not  knowing  whether 
the  "  Great  Father"  would  grant  or  refuse  them  their  peti- 
tion. But  they  were  soon  satisfied ;  our  Society  accepted 
the  mission. 

In  the  autumn  of  1846,  the  Reverend  F.  Schoenmakers 
quitted  St.  Louis  to  go  to  the  Osages,  with  the  intention  of 
returning,  after  having  ..mined  the  state  of  aftairs,  the 
houses,  etc.  He  came  back  to  St.  Louis  in  midwinter,  and 
his  second  departure  was  retarded  until  the  following  sprino-. 

After  Father  Schoenmakers  had  left  them,  the  poor  In- 
dians counted  the  days  and  the  hours  until  spring,  at  which 


*  The  Very  Eeverend  M.  de  la  Croix,  now  Canon  at  Ghent,  had  vis- 
ited the  Osages  in  1820.  Fatlier  Van  Qaicltenborne  visited  them  sev- 
eral years  later,  as  well  as  the  Eov.  Mr.  Lutz. 


AND    MISSIONARIES. 


353 


time  ho  promisod  to  return  to  tliem ;  but  they  waited  ia 
vain!  The  year  glided  past;  they  lost  all  hope  of  seeing 
liim  again.  Novorthuless,  they  were  resolved  to  accept  none 
but  Catholic  missionaries. 

When  all  our  preparations  were  completed,  Father  Schoen- 
makcrs,  myself,  and  tlireo  coadjutor  brothers,  quitted  St. 
Louis  on  the  7th  of  April,  1849,  and  wo  arrived  on  the  bank 
of  the  Neosho,  a  tributary  of  the  Arkansas,  situated  about 
130  miles  from  Westport,  frontier  town  of  the  State  of 
Missouri. 

To  you,  my  dear  Father,  who  have  many  times  traversed 
the  great  wilderness  of  the  West,  in  its  whole  extent,  from 
the  States  to  the  Pacific,  who  have  travelled  over  the  Rocky 
Mountains  and  their  valleys — our  pains,  troubles,  and  fatigues 
must  appear  truly  insignificant.  But  this  trial  was  very 
severe  to  us,  who  were  entering,  for  the  fiist  time,  into  the 
immense  prairies  of  the  Indians,  which  we  liad  only  measured 
according  to  the  deceptive  images  of  our  imagination.  Tru- 
ly, the  reality  appeared  to  us  very  dittereut.  W^e  endured 
hunger,  thii'st,  and  cold.  For  a  fortnight  we  were  oblio-ed 
to  pass  our  nights  in  the  open  air,  in  the  dampest  season  of 
the  year,  each  having  naught  for  a  bed  but  a  buffalo-hide 
and  a  single  blanket. 

About  100  miles  from  Westport  wo  had  a  panic.  Ar- 
rived at  a  place  named  "  Walnut  Grove,"  we  perceived,  in 
the  distance,  a  large  troop  of  mounted  Indians,  who  turned 
directly  towards  us.  Unaccustomed  to  such  sights,  we  were 
^  seized  with  great  anxietv,  which  soon  chano-ed  to  genuine 
fright;  for  we  saw  those  savages,  on  approaching  us,  alight 
from  their  horses  with  extraordinary  agility.  At  once  they 
took  possession  of  our  carts  and  wagons,  whic-i  we  ffinciek 
destined  to  pillage.  They  examined  our  chests  and  our  bag- 
gage as  minutely  and  coolly  as  old  custom-house  officers. 


1       *» 


I' 
.1 


I 


' 


" 


I' 


'  ■: 


« 


^■'1 

T  ■ 

^B 

ffl 

11.   ■ 

354 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


Happily  we  recovered  from  our  fright.  We  presented  them 
Bomc  rolls  of  tobacco.  They  sliook  hands  with  us  in  token 
of  friendship.  Soon  after  wc  lost  sight  of  them,  congratu- 
lating ourselves  at  havuig  escaped  at  so  trifling  an  expense. 
An  idea,  however,  occipiod  us:  they  might  repent  of  their 
benevolence  towards  us,  and  attack  us  and  steal  our  horses 
during  the  night.  We  consequently  left  the  ordinary  route, 
and  wont  and  camped  far  in  the  plain.  These  Indians,  as 
we  learned  later,  belonged  to  the  nation  of  Sauks,  and  had 
been  paying  a  visit  to  their  allies,  the  Osages. 

On  the  28 ih  of  April  we  reached  our  destination,  to  the 
great  surprise  and  delight  of  the  Indians ;  for,  as  I  have  al- 
ready observed  to  you,  they  had  resigned  the  hope  of  seeing 
us.  It  would  be  impossible  to  paint  to  you  the  enthusiasm 
with  which  we  were  received.  They  considered  us  as  men 
whom  the  Great  Spirit  had  sent  to  teach  them  the  good 
news  of  salvation  ;  to  t'-ace  out  to  them  the  path  to  heaven, 
and  to  procure  them,  also,  earthly  peace  and  plenty. 

At  the  first  sight  of  these  savages,  and  finding  myself  sur- 
rounded by  these  children  of  the  desert,  I  could  not  suppress 
the  pain  I  felt.  I  saw  their  sad  condition.  The  adults  had 
only  a  slight  covering  over  the  middle  of  the  body;  the  lit- 
tle children,  even  as  old  as  six  or  seven  years,  were  wholly 
destitute  of  clothing.  Half  serious,  half  jesting,  I  thought 
that  a  truly  savage  portion  of  the  Lord's  vineyard  had  been 
given  me  to  cultivate ;  but  I  did  not  lose  courage.  The  ob- 
ject of  my  desires,  and  the  subject  of  my  prayers,  during 
many  long  years,  had  been  to  become  a  missionary  to  the 
Indians.  That  grace  was  obtuiaed;  I  felt  contented  and 
happy. 

On  our  arrival,  we  found  the  houses  unfinished,  very 
inconvenient,  and  much  too  small  fov  a  great  number  of 
children;  they  were  also  very  badly  situated,  not  beintr,  as 


.  AND  MISSIONARIES. 


855 


thoy  should  Ihivo  been,  in  tho  centre  of  all  the  villages  which 
compose  the  niinsion.  From  this  resulted  an  increase  iu  the 
number  and  difficulties  of  our  occupations. 

The  population  of  the  tribes  (comprised  under  the  name  of 
Great  Osages  and  Little  Osages),  is  nearly  5000  souls,  of 
whom  3500  reside  on  the  banks  of  tho  Neosho;  and  the  oth- 
ers on  the  Verdigris,  a  little  river  smaller  than  the  former 
although  the  valleys  and  the  prairies  that  it  waters  are  more 
favorable  to  culture. 

The  Osages  who  remain  on  the  banks  of  the  Neosho  are 
divided  into  several  villages.     The  Little  Osages  form  a  pop- 
ulation  of  1500  souls,  and  are  twenty-two  miles  from  the 
mission.     The  village  of  Nanze-Waspe  contains  six  hundred 
inhabitants,  at  a  distance  of  twelve  miles;  the  village  Bif- 
chief  is  composed  of  three  hundred  souls,  four  miles;  tho 
Weichaka-Ougrin,of  five  hundred,  three  miles;  Little-Town 
numbers  three  hundred  inhabitants,  and  is  ihirty  miles  dis- 
tant; Bif-hill,  or  Passoi-Ougrin,  situated  on  the  Verdigris 
forty  miles  off,  has  a  population  of  six  hundred  souls ;  les 
Ch^niers,  or  Sanze-Ougrin,  amount  to  nearly  seven  hundred, 
fitty-five  miles ;  the  Black-Dog,  or  Skankta-Sape,  village,  sixty 
miles  off,  contains  four  hundred  inhabitants.     There  are  be- 
sides, other  small  villages,  dispersed  at  a  great  distance  from 
us.     The  two  rivers  on  which  they  dwell  empty  into  the  Ar- 
kansas.    The  lowlands  are  in  general  swampy,  but  the  plaiu 
of  the  Neosho  is  sandy. 

Formerly  the  Osages  were  represented  as  cruel  and  per- 
verse, addicted  to  the  most  degrading  vices ;  calumny  de-  . 
picted  them  as  thieves,  assassins,  and  drunkards.  f 

To  this  last  reproach,  I  am  grieved  to  say  they  have  given 
occasion  ;  they  are  passionately  fond  of  intoxicatincr  liquors     ' 
The  effects  of  this  vice  had  become  so  terrible  that,  on  our 
arrival,  entire  tribes  were  nearly  destroyed.     In  the  spring 


V     -i 


f . 


i  i 


350 


WMTliUN   MISSIONS 


of  1847,  in  ono  villngo  alono,  thirty  }• 


)f  lifi 


woro  victiiiis  to  htroiiu:  drink.      1  1 


outit^  men,  in  tlic  primo 


luvo  met  men. 


women,  nuil   cliil.lren,   in 


;i  coniplolo  statu  of  intoxication, 


tlni,i,'<,nii^'  tliemsclves  to  IJmir  wirfwnins  like  .so  many  briitos. 
This  spectacle,  my  dear  I'atlier,  .|ro\v  foiih  many  tears  and 
pi.^:Ii8  from  those  who  had  been  selected  and  sent  to  lal)or  for 
the  liappiness  and  salvation  of  these  unfortunate  beings.  It 
was  extreujeiy  painl'ul  to  h)ok  at  those  sons  (.f  the  wilderness, 
delivered  to  the  enemy  of  (Jod  and 


iord 


tl 


man.     Thaidvs  to  our 


le  evil  w.is  extirpated  at  its  root ;  the  advice  of  a 
kind  aiid  very  worthy  anent  of  government,  as  well  as  our 
own  olTort8,  have  succeeiled  so  well,  that  drunkenness  lias 
been  almost  completely  banislie<l.  Daily  prayers  are  offered 
that  this  crime,  and  all  the  miseries  which  arise  in  its  train, 
may  not  appear  among  us.  At  present,  the  Indians  them- 
selves compreliend  the  necessity  of  temperance.  Several 
among  them  come  frequently  to  tell  mo,  with  great  simpli- 
city, that  they  do  not  fall  into  this  vice  any  more.  Those 
savages  exhibit  in  their  stoical  resi)lutions,  a  degree  of  cojir- 
agc  that  should  excite  a  blush  on  the  cheek  of  many  a  white 
man. 

Those  wlio  call  them  tliieves  and  assassirs  have  calumni- 
ated them.  Some  bands  of  thieves,  going  from  the  north  to 
the  south,  cross  the  settlements  of  the  Osages,  as  well  as 
those  of  the  whites  who  inhabit  the  frontiers.  It  is  their 
tiade  to  steal  every  thing  and  carry  all  away,  and  in  such  a 
manner  tiiat  the  Osages  have  been  accused  of  the  thefts. 
We  may  say  as  nmch  of  the  pillages  committed  on  the  route 
to  Santa  V6. 

According  to  my  experience,  there  are  few  nations,  in  tliis 
region,  as  jilfable  and  as  atfectionate  as  the  Osages.  Indeed, 
it  may  be  said,  that  it  is  natural  to  them  to  wish  to  live  in 
peace   and   perfect  friendship   with  all   whom   they  know. 


AND  MISSION  A  UIKS. 


85T 


Ponco  nn.l  harmony  a-i-ti  umc.g  tl.cin ;  t.o  luush  wonln 
ovor  CHcapt.  tlieir  tong.ios  unlosh  when  tlu-y  h,ivo  drunk  to 
ex.vss.  New  th..y  are  at  jK-aco  with  all  the  trihes,  except 
with  tho  J'awnee-MahaH,  whoHo  in.inn  r  of  acting  toward* 
then,  would  inspire  avc-rsiui.  in  civili/^.d  pooplu  as  well  as  iu 
bmbarians.  Scarcely  arc  the  Osa-.s  j-ono  forth  f.  hunt, 
than  tho  I'awnec'H,  who  wait  this  uumwut,  fall  on  their  un- 
dctondod  villages,-pil|;,j..  tho  wigwa.ns,  and  stoal  tho  horses. 
Iho  OsagoH  have  fro.piently  nui<lo  p.-aco  with  this  nation;' 
but  the  treaties  have  hardly  been  raliliod,  ore  tho  porlidioua 
enemy  renewed  its  attacks. 

I  have  long  but  vainly  ondoavorcd  to  put  an  end  to  tho 
cruel  mania  of  taking  oft'  the  scalps  of  the  dead  and  woinided. 
In  tins  prnjo<:t,  as  in  many  others,  I  ],avo  been  chocked  by 
the  bad  counsels  and  bad  examples  of  the  whites.  I  should 
bo  pleased  to  bo  able  to  tell  tho  sav.-.ges,  with  whom  I  am 
charged,  to  imitate  the  whites,  and  it  wouM  bo  most  ngree- 
nblo  to  mo  to  propose  them  as  models  of  imitation ;  but  my 
words  would  bo  very  inetfectual.  Jlere,  as  formerly  in  Pa- 
raguay, the  Indian  derives  no  advantage  from  the  vicinity  of 
tho  whites ;  on  the  contrary,  he  becontes  more  artful,  more 
deeply  plunged  in  vice,  and  finding  no  blasphemous  words 
in  his  own  tongue,  curses  his  God  in  u  foreign  language. 

To  demonstrate  to  you  tho  evil  eff'ects  of  the  proximity  of 
the  wliites,  I  will  cite  you  a  little  anecdote.  The  fact  oc- 
curred about  a  year  ago.  I  was  giving  an  instruction  in  a 
village  named  Woichaka-Ougrin,  or  Cocklo-Bird.  The  sub- 
ject was  intemperance.  I  spoke  of  the  evil  consequences  of 
this  passion,  of  its  eftects  on  the  liealth,  of  the  rapidity  with 
whicli  it  conducts  men  to  the  tomb,  or  separates  tliem  fiom 
their  wives  and  their  children,  whom  the  Great  Spirit  liad 
intrusted  to  thetn.  I  added  that  the  pleasure  attendino- 
drmkmg  was  extremely  sliort,  while  the  punishmcut  would  . 


m 


4  ' 


!v| 


J] 

*     3 

, ' 

il 

858 


WKSTEIiN    MISSIONS 


b«  et«  ''.if  .'u  T  wns  concliiditif^,  Shnpo-sliin-kftoulc,  or  The 
li'i'i^  Hriv  I  one  of  fill)  |)tiiu'ipiil  iiicn  of  tlio  tribe,  arose 
Rud  Paid  to  mo:  "Fnthcr,  what  tliou  nnyvnt  is  tnio.  Wo 
bulievo  thy  wordH.  Wo  huvo  soon  irmny  buried  becauMu  th»'y 
loved  and  drank  firo-watur.  One  thing  asfonishes  U8.  [Ve 
are  ignorant;  we  are  not  f.r  |tiaint«tli  with  books;  toe  never 
heard  the  words  of  the  Great  Bpir  t:  but  the  whites,  who 
know  books,  who  liavo  understand i  1,4,  anTl  who  have  heard 
the  cominanihiients  of  tlio  (Jrcat  Spirit, — why  do  thci/  drink 
this  fire-water?  why  do  tliey  80II  it  to  us?  or  why  do  thoy 
bring  it  to  us,  while  they  know  that  God  sees  thoni  ?" 

I  will  now  enter  into  some  more  |>articular  details  concern- 
ing our  mishions  and  our  labors.  Immediately  after  our  ar- 
rival in  tlie  spring  of  1847,  our  first  care  was  to  prepare  a 
school.  It  was  opened  on  the  10th  of  May.  The  scholars 
•were  not  very  numerous  at  the  commenccmrnt ;  some  half- 
bloods  and  three  Tiidiaus  were  the  only  ones  that  presented 
themselves.  The  pan-nts,  full  of  prejudices  against  a  "school," 
gave  for  excuse,  that  the  children  who  had  been  confided  to 
the  former  missionaries  (the  rresbyterians),  had  learned 
nothing,  had  been  whipped  every  day,  made  to  work  con- 
tinually, and  at  last  ran  away.  These  reports  spread  far 
and  wide.  The  most  efficacious  correction  that  a  father 
could  employ  against  a  child,  was  to  threaten  it  with  being 
Bent  to  school.  I  had  proofs  of  this  a  short  time  after  our 
arrival.  In  one  of  my  visits  to  a  village  of  Little  Osages, 
called  Hu/egta,  having  an  interpreter  with  me,  I  entered 
into  the  lodge  of  the  first  chief.  On  presenting  myself,  I 
oflFered  my  hand  in  token  of  friendship.  "Who  are  you?" 
said  he  to  me.  "  A  tapouska,  or  missionary,"  was  the  reply. 
During  some  moments,  he  hung  his  head  without  uttering  a 
word.  Then  raising  his  eyes,  he  said,  in  a  bad  humor: 
"The  missionaries  never  did  any  good  to  our  nation."    The 


AND    MISSIONARIES. 


859 


,  arose 
,     Wo 


Jntorprcter  ftn^wmd  thftt  I  rl.M  not  belong  to  iho  cUm  of 
miMionnrics  that  ho  luul  «con  ;  that  I  w««  «  French  tap.,„«ka. 
a  ilack-gown,  who  had  cotno  at  tJ.eir  req,u,.st  and  at  that  of 
their  "Ureat  Father."      The,   nerenitv    reappeared  on   the 
visago  of  tbo  chief,  and  ho  en,,]  ouf,  •*ThiH  is  good  new.** 
He  immediatoly  offered  mc  hi«  hand,  call,.!  hi,  wife,  and  or- 
Jerod  bu«alo-8oup,  wishing  to  feast  n.y  arrival.     Ife  pro- 
posed  Hovcrul  questions  rehitivo  to  the  manner  in  which  I 
would  educate  the  children,  if  they  were  sent  to  rae;  he  de- 
clared to  mo  that  he  did  not  approve  of  whippui^  the  chil- 
dren;  ho  asked  mo,  in  fmo,  if  wo  would  instruc^t  aged  per- 
•on«.     When  I  told  him  that  wo  came  to  iuNtruct  everybody 
to  announce  the  word  of  God  to  tho  whole  nation  he  ex' 
pressed  much  delight  an<l  gratitude.     As  «oon  as  ho  knew 
us  and  learned  the  obj.>ot  of  our  visit,  his  prejudices  and  his 
appschcnsions  vanished. 

At  my  first  visits,  tho  children  would  not  approach  mo. 
I  dissipated  their  fears  by  giving  them  cakes  or  marbles,  with 
which  my  pockets  were  always  filled.  They  became  familiar, 
and  in  a  short  time  they  wcio  extremely  attached  to  me' 
The  first  who  came  to  school,  being  very  happy,  expressed 
their  satisfaction  and  their  delight  to  their  parents,  praising 
the  care  of  the  Black-gowns  in  teaching  and  feeding  them 
This  news  spread  abroad.  Now  the  children  entreat  the 
parents  to  suffer  them  to  go  to  the  mission ;  the  parents 
never  refuse  them,  for  the  Indian  is  full  of  indulgence  towards 
his  little  ones. 

Jefore  the  close  of  the  year,  those  who  were  received  and 
those  who  desired  to  be  admitted,  surpassed  the  number  that 
^e  could  lodge.  We  have  ever  since  been  crowded.  In  a 
house  built  for  twenty  persons  only,  we  were  obliged  to 
lodge  fifty  children.  In  order  to  take  measures,  the  nation 
..,..a  ....j.L^^cLcu  wiu  agent  lo  petition  tiieir  Great 


id 


:\t* 


*'■- 


i.'' 


i' 


m 

1 

1 

300 


WliSTKKK   MlriSIONS 


Futlior  to  iiii;4UH!nt  mul  ciiluij,'.)  ll»«)  Iiouh*-*  of  iho  luiMiiun. 
The  gKVfniiiK-nt  accc<k'tl  to  tliitt  tl«'iimiKl. 

Thu  chift's  cjiiuiot  bo  too  niu..li  pniise.l  fur  llio  gixxl  cx- 
luiiplo  timt  tlicy  luivo  K'"'ven  to  tho  imtion,  and  tliu  imloiit 
desiio  that  liny  maiiilistotl  for  tlio  i-ilucation  of  ihoir  iluugh- 
tem.     WhiMi  tlioy  ttrst  inudu  mo  tlii.s  latt-r  rtMjii»'«t,  I  fuiind 
inyat'lf  fiin^MiIarly  ciii!.;iriaHM'.l  (w  tlm  umim  of  roalizinjr  ho 
laudaMe  a  piuj.-i-t.    I'atlior  SclionmiakorH  rv'solvod  to  iiituiX'«t 
a  kind  and  I.Tvcnt  coiiiiniinily  (»f  nuns  in  tho  education  of 
thu  Usago  girls.     Willi  iIiIh  intention  ho  went  to  St.  Louin; 
but  ho  knocked  in  vain  at  the  «lonr  of  suvend  conveuta  of 
that  city,  for  tho  enterprise  fiiglileiied  every  one.     llo  was 
not  dwcouraged.     At  length  he  Micceeiled  in  obtaining  tho 
good  and  charitable  Histerrt  of  Lcretto,  in  Kentiu-ky,  for  tho 
education  of  the  girls  of  this  reniott;  udssion.    In  the  autunui 
of  the  year  1817,  four  n^ligious  arrived  to  share  our  labors. 
Their  suirerings,  their  trials,  and  their  privations  were  very 
great.     They  were  obliged  to, sleep  in  the  open  air.     That 
did  not  hinder  two  other  Sisters  from  coining  to  join  thcni  a 
little  after  in  their  heroic  enterprise.     Their  patience,  their 
kindness,  their  courage,  and  their  pei-severatico  have  gained 
the  ostecni,  aftection,  and  love  of  every  one.     They  are  suc- 
ceeding :  they  have  already  produced  a  considerable  change, 
and  aro  doing  great  good.     The  talents  displayed  in  the  di- 
rection of  their  school,  and  the  rapid  progn-ss  of  the  children, 
are  admired  by  all  the  strangers  who  visit  this  community. 

In  order  not  to  pass  the  limits  of  a  letter,  I  will  leave  the 
rest  till  another  moment,  and  I  will  inclose  it  to  you  in  ft 

few  days. 

In  the  mean  time,  reverend  and  very  dear  Father,  I  com. 
mend  myself  to  your  holy  sacrifices  nnd  your  good  prayers. 
Your  ever  devoted  Drothcr, 

J.  J.  Bax,  S.  J. 


AND   MUSIONARIEt. 


801 


|00<1  cx- 

0  uidciit 
I-  iliiu^h- 
,  I  tuuiitl 

J  iiitorcht 
cation  of 
it.  Luuit; 
ijvcuU  of 

Ho  WU8 

iiiing  tlio 
y,  for  tho 

0  uutuiim 
111-  laboiB. 
kvoro  very 
Jr.  That 
ill  them  » 
lice,  their 
vo  gained 
y  are  sue- 
le  change, 
ill  tho  di- 
>  children, 
inuiuity. 

leave  the 
you  in  ft 

icr,  I  com* 

1  prayers. 

lX,  S.  J. 


Letter  XXIX. 

To  THE  Editor  or  the  Pntcm  IIistohiques,  BRues.Li. 
The  Otaget.^The  second  Letter  qf  Father  Sax. 

Rkvehknd  Father  :  "'''•^"'  ^'^'""^^  "''^• 

I  inclose  tho  second  letter  of  Father  Bax,  montionod  ia 
mine  of  December  Ist. 


ViLLAOB  or  St.  FnANrw  IlrMONYUo,  Juno  10th,  1850. 
Rev.  and  vekv  dear  Fatmkh  :~In  my  last  letter  I  was 
obliged,  against  my  incJination,  to  give  you  a  very  abridged 
description  of  tho  truly  prosperous  state  of  our  schools 

Nothing  astonishes  tho  whites  more  than  tho  extraordinary 
progress  of  our  little  Osages  in  tho  different  branches  taught 
them.     Such  are:  reading,  writing,  arithmetic,  geography, 
nnd  grammar,  for  the  boys;    reading,  writing,  geography 
needlework,  embroidery,  and  drawing,  for  the  giris      To 
these  dispositions  all  join  a  very  decided  taste  for  music,  and 
find  great  pleasure  in  singing  pious  canticles.     They  are  be- 
sides, very  polite,  docile,  and  obedient.     As  soon  as  they 
perceive  a  white,  their  first  movement  is  to  go  and  present 
ium  the  hand.     Their  sensibility  and  good  dispositions  have 
olten  alleviated  the  pain  that  wo  experienced  when  our  means 
would  not  suffer  us  to  provide  for  their  necessities. 

If  It  happen  that  one  of  the  Fathers  is  absent  during  three 
cr  four  days,  thoy  are  oi  the  watch  for  the  moment  when 

81 


t»» 

!'1 


\l 


262 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


hJ- 


he  18  expected.  As  soon  as  they  perceive  him,  which  some- 
times takes  place  at  a  distance  of  three  or  four  miles,  noth- 
ing can  hinder  them  from  running  to  meet  him,  and  crying 
out :  "  Father,  how  are  you  ?  how  do  you  do  ?" 

The  greater  number  among  them  are  remarkable  for  truly 
admirable  sentiments  of  devotion.  Hence  religion  is  the 
most  efficacious  means  for  correcting  the  faults  usual  at  their 
age.  The  most  poweiful  rebuke  that  we  can  make  them  is 
to  ask  them  :  "  My  child,  when  you  were  baptized,  did  you 
not  promise  God  that  you  would  be  good  ?"  Of  a  consider- 
able number,  we  may  report  great  progress  in  the  catechism. 
Forty  have  made  their  first  communion.  These  last  visit  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  with  as  much  regularity  and  devotion  as 
the  most  fervent  among  the  faithful. 

The  above.  Rev.  Father,  gives  us  the  highest  consolation. 
Hardly  two  years  since,  these  Httle  neophytes  were  running 
naked  in  the  woods  and  on  the  plains,  addicted  to  every  kind 
of  vice,  and  having  no  knowledge  of  their  Creator,  '  f 
the  end  of  their  creation.  Never  has  the  goodness  of  God 
been  more  manifest  to  me  ;  never  have  I  seen  the  divine  in- 
fluence more  generally  felt  and  better  appreciated ;  never, 
before  this  day,  have  I  been  so  intimately  convinced  that  the 
Lord  offers  to  all  nations,  to  every  family,  and  to  each  indi- 
vidual, the  means  of  being  saved,  and  of  being  united  to  the 
Holy  Church. 

What  happened  to  us  on  the  day  of  our  arrival  here, 
serves  as  a  powerful  confirmation  of  this  truth.  It  was  re- 
ported to  us  that  an  Indian  had  just  died  in  a  village  about 
four  miles  distant.  I  expressed  to  my  informant  the  grief 
this  misfortune  caused  me.  He  told  me  that  another  man, 
in  the  same  place,  was  at  the  point  of  death.  In  the  hope 
of  arriving  in  time  to  baptize  him,  I  set  out  immediately. 
Arrived  at  the  place  where  the  Neosho  divides  into  two 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


363 


branches,  I  found  tlio  waters  so  swollen  tliat  it  was  impos- 
Bible  to  pass  them,  and  would  be  .  •  during  several  days  more. 

On  the  fourth  day  (it  was  Sunday),  a  half-blood  passed 
the  river  ou  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  to  come  and  hear  mass.  I 
questioned  him  concerning  the  state  of  the  sick  man.  Ho 
had  been  in  his  agony  during  four  days ;  he  had  ever  shown 
an  excellent  depoitment,  and  had  manifested  an  earnest  de- 
sire to  see  the  Black-gown,  who  had  come  to  announce  the 
word  of  God  to  his  nation.  I  mounted  my  horse  directly, 
with  some  apprehension  that  my  guide  might  delay  my  ar- 
rival. In  this  I  was  mistaken — he  reached  there  more 
quickly  on  foot  than  I  on  my  horse. 

I  found  my  Indian  extremely  ill ;  evidently  he  was  hast- 
ening rapidly  to  eternity.  As  soon  as  I  entered  the  lodge, 
he  saluted  me  with  joy  and  affection.  I  macle  him  compre- 
hend, by  means  of  an  interpreter,  that  I  came  to  speak  with 
him  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  instruct  him  in  the  truths  neces- 
sary to  salvation.  "I  thank  thee,  Father:  thy  words  are 
kind  and  consoling;  my  heart  is  overjoyed  that  thou  hast 
come."  Such  were  the  words  he  addressed  me  with  a  dying 
voice.  I  spoke  to  him  of  the  dispositions  requisite  for  re- 
ceiving baptism,  and  told  him,  among  other  things,  that  he 
must  renounce  all  the  bad  actions  that  he  might  have  com- 
mitted, be  contrite  for  them,  and  never  again  do  evil,  though 
he  might  be  restored  to  health ;  that  if  he  was  sincerely  dis- 
posed to  act  thus,  the  Great  Spirit  would  forget  all  the  sins 
of  his  past  life.  "Father,"  he  replied,  «I  always  wished  to 
be  good ;  I  never  stole,  I  never  became  drunk,  I  have  never 
killed.  However,  if  I  have  offended  the  Great  Spirit,  I  re- 
pent. I  desire  to  please  him,  so  that,  if  I  die,  he  may  have 
mercy  on  me,  and  grant  me  the  grace  of  being  admitted  into 
his  presence."  Fatigued  with  the  effort  he  had  made  to 
speak,  he  kept  silence  during  several  moments ;  then,  again 


\i 


|i> 


864 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


opening  his  eyes,  he  said :  "  Father,  if  thou  believest  mo 
worthy  of  receiving  baptism,  thou  wilt  grant  me  a  groat  ftivor 
and  many  blessings."  Fully  satisfied  with  the  lively  desire 
that  he  manifested,  I  administered  that  sacrament  to  him. 
Scarcely  was  he  regenerated  in  the  healing  waters  of  bap- 
tism, than  he  expired,  and  went  to  enjoy  the  happiness  re- 
served to  the  children  of  the  Clmich. 

The  consoling  death  of  this  Indian  was  followed  by  a  most 
distressing  scene.  I  had  never  witnessed  demonsti'ations  of 
sorrow  so  profound.  The  men,  throwing  off  that  stoical  in- 
difference which  appears  to  be  so  natuial  to  them,  heaved 
deep  sighs  and  shed  torrents  of  tears ;  the  women,  witli  di- 
shevelled hair,  shrieked  and  gave  all  the  signs  of  a  despair 
over  which  reason  cannot  predominate.  I  buiied  the  Indian, 
on  the  following  day,  in  accordance  with  the  ritual  of  the 
Church.  The  whole  villnge  was  present  at  this  ceremony. 
The  assistants  witnessed  the  attention  and  respect  which  we 
pay  to  the  dead  with  a  deep  gratitude.  From  that  time 
forth,  we  have-  always  assisted  the  sick  in  their  agony.  The 
time  for  instructing  them  is  very  short,  and  their  ideas  con- 
cerning religion  are  more  than  imperfect ;  but,  on  the  other 
side,  they  have  all  the  simplicity  and  good-will  of  children, 
and  their  dispositions  are  most  consoling. 

A  few  days  ago  I  baptized  the  oldest  man  in  the  nation. 
Impossible  to  tell  you  the  impressions  I  experienced  when 
pouring  the  holy  water  over  that  head,  whitened  with  length 
of  years.  Baptism  is  one  of  the  sacraments  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion that  the  Indians  understand  the  best,  and  it  is  the 
one  that  they  are  most  desirous  of  receiving. 

Some  incidents,  that  a  few  would  style  providential,  and 
others  accidental,  have  contributed  much  to  augment  (in  this 
tribe)  faith  concerning  the  efficacy  of  that  sacrament.  I 
will  cite  hut  op*^  example. 


•1 


AND   MISSIONARIBS. 


365 


One  evening — it  was  during  the  autumn  of  1848 — an 
Indian  arrived  at  the  Mission.  Grief  and  anxiety  were  de- 
picted on  his  face.  As  soon  as  he  perceived  me,  he  said  to 
me  :  "  Father,  come  witliout  delay,  for  my  wife  is  dying. 
All  despair,  and  T  consider  her  already  as  dead.  Thou  didst 
tell  us  to  call  thee  when  any  one  was  sick  or  in  danger  of 
death.  I  wish  her  to  learn  the  words  of  the  Great  Spirit 
before  she  dies.  This  is  why  I  conie  to  call  thee."  I  had 
just  arrived  from  a  village  called  Cawva-Sliinka,  or  Little 
Village,  situated  thirty  miles  from  the  Mission  ;  I  was  ex- 
hausted with  fatigue.  But  how  resist  an  invitation  so  press- 
ing, and  above  all  in  a  circumstance  so  grave?  After  a  mo- 
ment of  repose,  T  set  out  with  the  man.  Arrived  at  the  vil- 
lage at  midnight,  I  found  the  lodge  filled  with  women  and 
children,  crying,  and  singing  the  Indian  death-song.  I  be- 
sought them  to  conclude  these  lugubrious  accents,  and  ap- 
proached the  sick  woman,  extended  on  a  buffalo-hide,  and 
scarcely  covered  with  some  tattered  blankets.  She  was  un- 
conscious. As  she  appeared  to  me  not  likely  soon  to  return 
to  herself,  I  resolved  to  remain  until  morning.  An  Indian 
had  the  kindness  to  lend  me  his  blanket ;  I  v;rapped  myself 
in  it,  and  endeavored  to  take  a  few  hours'  rest.  But  it  was 
vain.  I  never  passed  such  a  miserabb  night.  The  women 
and  the  children  recommenced  their  frig-hU^'jl  clan  r;  the 
dogs  of  the  wigwam  passed  back  and  forward  o\  af  me  with 
such  steady  regularity,  that  it  would  have  I  een  quite  impos- 
sible to  me  to  count  the  number  of  visits.  About  davlijjht, 
the  patient  began  to  give  some  signs  of  lif  ;  but  she  could 
not  yet  speak.  As  soon  as  she  had  rec  vered  her  senses 
entirely,  I  made  her  a  short  exhortation.  She  appeared  at- 
tentive, and  gave  signs  of  real  joy.  I  ba[  lized  her,  and  de- 
parted. Two  hours  after  my  leaving  she  was  perfectly  re- 
covered.    She  arose,  took  her  infant,  and  iiur.*Jcd  it. 

31« 


If 


,t^H 

" 

J 

866 


WESTEKN   MISSIONS 


Not  long  after,  I  returned  to  the  same  village,  and  found 
myself  immediately  surrounded  by  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, shouting,  unanimously,  "Komkai" — we  are  very  glad 
to  see  you.  This  word  is  used  for  giving  a  cordial  reception. 
After  recounting  to  me  the  fact,  and  the  euro  of  the  sick 
woman,  they  brought  me  twenty-five  children  to  baptize. 
"  Father,"  said  they  to  me,  "  we  believe  thy  words.  We 
know  that  ba{)tism  (jqmes  from  the  Great  Spirit.  We  are 
poor,  ignorant  people  ;  we  cannot  read  the  book  that  con- 
tains the  word  of  the  Great  Spirit;  but  thou  wilt  explain  it 
to  us,  and  we  will  believe  thee."  I  have  had  very  evident 
proofs  of  the  sincerity  of  their  good  intentions,  and  of  their 
firm  resolution  not  to  otiend  God,  after  having  received 
baptism. 

About  a  month  ago,  I  stopped  at  an  Indian  wigwam.  Its 
inmates  had  not  been  able  to  go  to  the  chase,  on  account  of 
the  illness  of  their  little  daughter.  Her  mother  told  rae 
that  they  were  suffering  with  hunger,  and  that  they  had  not 
eaten  meat  for  a  long  time.  She  added  that  she  had  seen  a 
stray  ox  in  the  forest,  belonging  to  a  white  man,  and,  that 
she  would  have  killed  it  had  she  not  recalled  the  promise 
that  she  had  made  at  her  baptism — rather  to  die  than  do 
that  which  is  sinful;  that  she  preferred  to  die  of  hunger,  to 
offending  the  Great  Spirit ;  and,  that  if  she  had  killed  the 
ox,  the  Great  Spirit  would  no  longer  have  had  compassion 
on  her  in  her  misery.  This  little  recital  pleased  and  edified 
me.  I  could  not  refrain  from  reflecting,  that  the  condition 
of  the  world  would  be  widely  different,  did  all  Christians 
remember  as  faitlifidly  and  practically  their  baptismal  vows 
as  did  this  poor  Iiuliaii  woman. 

So  far,  we  have  baptized  more  than  five  humlred  persons. 
One  hundred  adults  and  children  have  had  the  happiness  of 
receivin'V  the  SHiirainenL  of  reu'eneiation  bet'ore  ilviii"-.    When 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


867 


the  Indians  arc  well  taught,  we  have  not  much  to  fear  in 
regard  to  their  exemplary  conduct.    The  greatest  obstacle 
for  us  is  in  the  difficulty  that  we  experience  in  acquiring 
their  tongue.     It  contains  very  few  words,  and  those  quite 
inconvenient  for  expressing  abstract  ideas.    These  people 
have  some  confused  ideas  of  a  Supreme  Being,  of  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul,  of  the  bliss  or  of  the  chastisements  of 
the  future  life ;  but  these  ideas  are  mingled  with  material 
and  superstitious  notions.    The  following  is  an   example: 
They  believe  thiv  those  whom  the  Great  Spirit  admits  into 
liis  happy  abode  will  there  receive  an  abut 'lance  of  buffaloes, 
moose,  deer,  and  corn ;  that  when  a  person  dies,  his  soul 
continues  to  inhabit  the  place  in  which  it  quitted  the  body ; 
that  souls  sometimes  return  from  the  other  world,  to  tako 
and  conduct  there  other  souls.    For  this  reason  they  fear  to 
travel  in  the  dark,  especially  when  any  one  is  very  ill ;  they 
think  that  then  there  certainly  is  some  spirit  fluttering  about 
in  the  air.     Some  of  their  Vig-kontah  (jugglers)  pretend,  on 
many  occasions,  to  have  the  power  of  chasing  this  spirit,  and 
cf  saving  the  life  of  the  person  who  is  dangerously  sick. 
When  there  is  danger  of  death,  the  most  superstitious  have 
frequent  recourse  to  these  "  medicine  men ;"  a  horse,  a  mule, 
or  even  several,  must  reward  these  services.     I  knew  one  of 
those  impostors  who  by  this  trade  had  gained,  in  one  spring 
only,  thirty-two  horses.    Their  efforts  tend  principally  to 
persuading  the  pr  >    Indians  not  to  call  upon  us  in  their  mal- 
adies.   They  d3ciar«,  with  the  greatest  assurance,  that  they 
will  annul  the  efficaciousness  of  our  power. 

Last  spring  I  went  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  Little  Osages.  The 
day  of  my  arri  'al,  I  baptized  three  persons  who  were  dan- 
gerously sick ;  taey  died  the  next  day.  Some  days  after,  a 
maiignant  fever  broke  out,  and  proved  fatal  to  many.  The 
jugglers  attributed  the  cause  of  the  see  arge  to  my  presence, 


!     f; 


■I.,  f 


i; 


m 


-n — t. 


m  ' 


SG8 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


declaring  that  I  had  annihilated  their  power  over  the  Bpirits. 
It  is  afflicting,  but  also  somevvliat  liuighable,  to  sec  these  jug- 
glers endeavoring  to  drive  away  the  spirits.  They  inako 
theiuselves  as  hideous  as  possible,  equip  themselves  with  all 
their  instruments  and  weapons,  discharge  their  guns,  bran- 
dish their  clubs  and  tomahawks,  beat  the  drum,  and  have 
recourse,  in  fine,  to  whatever  can  produce  a  noise  ;  in  a  word, 
they  employ  all  imaginabio  tricks  to  deceive  those  poor 
Indians.  But  their  power,  which  was  formerly  very  great,  is 
beginning  to  decline.  The  esteem  which  the  savages  had 
fo-  them  is  daily  diminishing.  The  Indians  are  attached  to 
us,  principally,  say  they,  because  we  have  no  wives  and 
children.  « If  you  had,"  they  say,  "you  would  do  like  tho 
missionaries  (the  presbyterians)  who  preceded  you,  you 
■would  think  too  much  of  your  families,  and  you  would  ueg- 
lect  the  red-man  and  his  children." 

I  often  go  and  visit  them  in  their  villages,  and  I  am  always 
received  with  the  greatest  civility.     A  crier  precedes  me,  to 
announce  my  approach.     When  they  are  all  collected  in  a 
large  wigwam,  or  Beneath  the  wide-spread  branches  of  some 
stately   tree,   I   begin  my   instruction.      They   listen  most 
attentively.     When  I  have  done  speaking,  the  chief  rises, 
and  addresses  his  tribe  some  words  of  paternal  advice,  and 
repeats  what  the  missionary  has  said,  or  makes  commen'ts  on 
it.    One  Sunday  a  chief  named  Pni-nonpashe,  of  the  Greats 
mil  Village,  on  the  Verdigris  River,  c.  me  to  see  liis  two 
children,  who  were  boarding  with  us.     a  short  instruction, 
which  I  gave  after  muss,  produced  such  an  impression  on  his' 
mind,  that,  when  returning  home,  he  said  to  a  half-breed  wiio 
accompanied  him  :    '  I  begin  now  to  discover  what  we  must 
do  to  be  agreeable  to  the  Great  Spirit,  aud  to  become  happy 
in  this  life  and  in  the  other." 

The  excellent  health  enjoyed  by  cur  children  at  the  mis 


/ 


X 


AKD  MISSIONARIES. 


869 


sion  school,  greatly  astonishes  the  parents.  Indeed,  thus  far 
sickness  has  been  unknown  among  them  ;  not  one  of  them 
has  di^-d  since  we  have  been  hero.  This  contributes  much  to 
augment  the  confidence  which  the  Indians  feel  towards  us, 
and  dissipates  all  their  fears  during  the  season  of  the  great 
hunts,  in  which  they  are  obliged  to  remove  from  us  for 
Bcveral  months. 

When  the  frightful  ravages  caused  by  the  cholera  along 
the  river  Kansas,  at  Westport,   and   in  other  places,  were 
known  here,  the  Osages,  panic-struck,  immediately  resolved 
to  go  and  seek  their  safety  in  the  plains.     Some  desired  to 
conduct  their  children  with  them  ;  but  the  majority  opposed 
it,  in  the  firm  persuasion  that  they  would  be  in  security  un- 
der the  care  of  the  Black-gowns,  and  protected  by  the  Son 
of  God  and  his  Holy  Mother.     They  tJierefore  retired  to  the 
plains,  and  left  their  children  with  us.     They  had  been  but 
a  short  time  in  their  new  abode,  when  the  cholera  declared 
itself  in  the  most  terrible  manner,  and  carried  off  a  great 
number.     Perceiving  their  error  in  having  fled  from  the  mis- 
sion, they  hastened  to  return,  and   encamp,  as  they  said, 
quite  near  the  kind  Fathers.     They  consequently  hastened 
with  such  precipitation  that  they  made  no  provision,  and 
travelled  day  and  night.    In  proportion  as  they  reached 
their  own  lands,  the  scourge  diminished.     The  last  case  of 
death  occurred  at  fifteen  miles  fron.  the  mission. 

The  greatest  difliculties  we  encounter  arise  from  the  half- 
bloods,  almost  all  of  French  origin.  Thej  have  nothing  of 
the  Catholic  but  baptism,  and  an  inviolable  attachment  to 
their  creed,  of  which,  for  want  of  instruction,  they  know 
almost  nothing,  and  they  practise  still  less.  They  have, 
again  and  again,  proved  to  the  Protestant  ministers  that 
their  efforts  to  make  them  change  their  religion  were  abso- 
lutely useless. 


if 


m 


m  4 


870 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


Another  obstado  for  us  is  the  mode  of  lifo  that  the  Indians 
are  obliged  to  lead,  in  order  to  procure  the  provisions  that 
are  necessary  for  their  subsistence.  They  coninionly  pass  six 
months  of  the  year  in  the  chase,  which  forces  them  to  remove 
from  us,  nnd  exposes  the  morality  of  those  who  would  wish 
to  live  as  exemplary  Christians,  to  great  temptations  and 
clangers.  I  hope  that  this  state  of  atlairs  will  change ;  for 
many  are  already  convinced  that  they  cannot  long  rely  on 
the  game,  and  that  they  should  have  already  commenced 
cultivating  their  grounds,  had  they  but  the  means  necessary. 

A  deputation  of  the  nation,  composed  of  the  principal 
chief,  of  five  warriors,  and  an  interpreter,  went  to  pay  a  visit 
to  their  "  Great  Father."  President  Taylor  received  them 
"with  the  greatest  kindness,  and  encouraged  them  to  com- 
mence cultivating  their  lands.  I  cannot  express  to  you  the 
gratitude  that  I  experience  when  I  think  of  the  truly  pater- 
nal care  lavished  on  my  dear  savages  by  their  Great  Father, 
and  by  all  the  officers  employed  in  the  Indian  department. 
The  savages  have  been  greatly  flattered  by  it.  I  am  fully 
convinced  that  ^reat  good  will  result  from  it. 

This,  Rev.  Father,  is  but  an  imperfect  sketch  of  the  state 
of  our  mission,  in  which  we  hope  to  gather  many  fruits  of 
salvation,  if  it  please  God  that  we  remain  in  it.  Pecuniary 
difficulties  have  placed,  and  still  place  us  in  very  critical 
positions;  but.  Rev.  Father,  the  assistance  that  we  some- 
times receive  from  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  from  some 
generous  hearts  and  friends  of  the  Indians,  relieves  us.  We 
hope  in  divine  Providence  for  all  and  in  all.  "  God  is  faith- 
ful." Commend  us  to  the  prayers  of  your  pious  congrega- 
tion, and  of  your  kind  community  in  St.  Louis. 
Reverend  and  most  dear  Father, 

Your  devoted  brother  in  Jesus  Christ, 

J.  J.  Bax,  S.  J. 


AND  MISSI0NABIE8. 


sn 


Letter  XXX. 

To  THE  Editor  of  thic  PrAois  Historiques,  Brubsbls. 

The  Otages. — Third  Letter  of  Father  Box. 

BBUssELa,  January  25, 1857. 
Beverknd  Father  : 

This  letter  is  the  last  written  by  the  Rev,  Father  Bax. 
I  gave  you  an  extract  from  it  in  ray  22(1  Letter,  when  sketch- 
ing the  biography  of  that  zealous  missionary,  who  fell  a  vic- 
tim to  his  devotodness  in  the  malady,  the  ravages  of  which 
be  here  mentions : 


MlBSIOK  AMOKO  TUB  OsAOKS,  St.  FRAXaiS  ) 

HiEBONYMO,  April  18,  1852.         J 
Reverend  and  dear  Father  : — I  desired  to  write  to  you 
much  sooner,  but  we  have  been  for  some  time,  and  are  yet, 
in  a  terrible  crisis.     I  have  never  witnessed  aught  like  it ; 
yet  God's  gracious  will  be  done ! 

About  three  weeks  before  i\w  grand  solemnity  of  Easter, 
forty-five  children  of  our  boaruiDg-school  fell  sick,  in  an 
interval  of  three  days  and  a  half.  At  first,  we  could  not 
discern  the  nature  of  the  malady.  It  commenced  by  a 
heavy  cold,  attended  with  a  burning  fever.  After  four  or 
five  days,  the  measles  broke  out.  At  first  the  alarm  was 
not  very  great,  but  the  measles  disappeared  and  was  replaced 
by  a  putrid  fever.    On  Passion  Sunday,  the  saddest  of  my 


1.1 


y 


1 1 


IS  ' 

lii    '^ 


878 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


life,  WO  had  two  corpses  huJ  out,  nnd  about  twelve  of  our 
chiklrcu  iu  danger  of  death.  Eloveti  of  our  scholaiH  full 
victims  in  a  short  time,  and  two  will  perhaps  Hpecdily  follow 
them.  Wo  are  obliged  to  interrupt  the  school  for  some 
time,  until  this  teniblu  viHitation  bo  passed.  The  contagion 
is  spreading  among  the  Indians,  and  the  mortality  is  very 
great.  It  will  bo  ditKcult  to  collect  again  the  scattered  flock. 
However,  I  may  say,  that  never  hitherto,  either  among  peo- 
ple of  color  or  whites,  either  among  persons  of  the  world  or 
religious,  have  I  been  witness  to  so  much  piety  and  fervor  on 
the  bed  of  death,  as  were  exhibited  by  our  young  neophytes. 
They  may  servo  as  models.  Some,  prompted  by  their  own 
piety,  asked  to  hold  the  crucifix  in  their  hands,  and  pressed 
it  fervently  to  them,  without  being  willing  to  yield  it,  during 
more  than  two  hours.  They  wished  tlie  statue  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  to  be  placed  near  the  i)illows  of  their  beds.  They 
implored  the  assistance  of  their  holy  Mother,  and  fixed  their 
dying  eyes  on  her  irnago.  I  firmly  hope  and  believe  that 
they  already  enjoy  the  presence  of  God. 

The  Lord  seems  to  be  willing  to  gather  into  his  garner  the 
little  that  we  have  sowed  here  below.  What  may  bo  the 
designs  of  Providence  for  the  future,  we  cannot  and  dare 
not  conjecture.  We  have  lost  several  of  our  best  scholars, 
and  of  those  on  whom  wo  Lad  founded  our  greatest  expec- 
tations. 

Rev^end  and  dear  father, 

Your  very  devoted  servant 

and  brother  in  Jesus  Christ, 

J.  J.  Bax,  S.  J. 


m-jwrn  tw 


AND  mseioNARiss. 


878 


Letter  XXII. 


To  A  Father  of  the  Society  or  Jescs.* 
C<ymerti<m  of  Randolph  Benton^  ton  of  Thomcut  U.  Benton, 

REVEIlKffD   AND  DEAR  FaTIIEU  '. 

Wliilo  Kossuth  was  in  our  midst,  stirring  np  civil  and 
rt'ligioua  dissensions,  God  consoled  his  caluinniatt'd  children 
by  the  conversion  of  several  Protestants.  To  comply  with 
the  wish  expressed  in  your  last  letter,  I  will  relate  to  you 
the  details  of  the  conversion  of  young  Mr.  Randolph  IJen- 
ton,  the  only  son  of  the  distinguished  and  Hon.  Thomas  U. 
Benton,  one  of  the  most  eminent  statesmen  of  this  vast 
republic. 

This  great  man,  who,  for  thirty  years,  with  the  greatest 
distinction  and  with  a  patriotic  zeal,  has  served  his  country 
as  Senator  fi-om  Missom-i,  professes,  with  the  rest  of  his  fam- 
ily, the  Presbyterian  religion.  Young  Randolph,  possessed 
of  talent,  and  yet  very  young,  had  been  difficult  to  manage 
and  had  proved  the  source  of  a  good  deal  of  anxiety  to  his 
worthy  parents,  particularly  to  his  aged  fatlier,  who  had 
formed  great  hopes  of  him.  The  son  was  only  twenty- two 
years  and  four  months  old  when  he  died,  and  yet,  though  so 
young,  he  had  rambled  over  the  greater  portion  of  the  Uni- 
ted States,  New  Mexico,  California,  and  Oregon.  At  the  age 
of  fourteen  he  accompanied  his  brother-in-law,  the  celebrated 


*  This  letter  was  transmitted  by  Fatlier  De  Smet,  after  Col.  Benton's 
death,  to  the  "N.  Y.  Freeman's  Journal,"  and  published  May  1, 1858. 

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Colonel  Fremont,  in  the  exploration  of  the  Great  Western 
Desert.  Four  years  later,  he  resided  for  some  time  at  West- 
phalia, Missouri,  where  we  had  a  residence,  and  there  ap- 
plied liimself  to  the  study  of  the  German,  under  the  instruc- 
tion of  one  of  our  Fathers,  and  perhaps  it  is  owing  to  this 
circumstance,  that  ever  since  he  has  felt  so  much  respect  for 
our  holy  religion.  I  will  briefly  relate  the  details  of  his  con- 
version. 

He  had  returned  from  New  Mexico  to  St.  Louis,  and  for 
some  weeks  had  been  staying  with  his  parents.  He  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  applying  himself  to  the  study  of  the  sci- 
ences and  of  the  ancient  languages,  and  of  rapidly  acquiring 
a  knowledge  of  them.  In  this  intention,  and  by'the  advice 
of  his  father,  he  called  upon  the  President  of  the  Univer- 
sity,* and  asked  to  be  admitted  to  its  classes  as  an  extern,  if 
his  age  should  be  an  objection  to  his  entrance  as  a  boarder. 
The  arrangements  for  his  admission  had  all  been  fixed,  when 
a  few  days  later  he  was  attacked  with  bilious  diarrhoea, 
which  very  quickly  prostrated  him. 

It  was  at  this  moment  that,  meeting  the  honored  Senator, 
I  was  informed  by  him  of  the  sad  news  of  his  son's  danger- 
ous illness.  At  his  request  I  visited  the  invalid,  and  found 
him  in  a  condition  truly  alarming.  Young  Randolph  ex- 
pressed to  me  the  very  great  joy  he  felt  upon  seeing  me,  and 
thanked  me  warmly  for  my  visit.  I  seated  myself  by  his 
sick  couch,  and  exhorted  him  to  place  all  his  confidence  in 
divine  Providence,  and  in  the  mercy  of  our  Redeemer.  He 
listened  to  me  with  marked  attention,  and  at  the  same  time 
manifested  sentiments  both  of  piety  and  resignation  to  God's 
will.  «0  God,"  he  exclaimed,— "yes,  O  God,  thou  dost 
Bend  to  us  what  is  best !"    I  then  spoke  to  him  of  the  essen- 


St.  Louia  University. 


t1 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


375 


rial  points  of  our  religion,  to  all  of  which  Randolph  ex- 
pressed his  assent,  couched  in  words  replete  with  fervor  and 
piety.  The  Senator  was  present  during  the  interview,  and 
seeing  in  his  son  such  Christian  sentiments,  aft'ectionately 
clasped  my  hand,  and  leading  me  away  a  little  distance  from 
the  bed,  said  to  me  with  transport,  "Oh,  but  it  is  consoling! 
The  words  of  my  son  fill  me  with  joy,  despite  the  grief  which 
tears  my  heart.  God  be  blessed.  If  he  dies  he  will  die  a 
Christian."  The  venerable  old  man  then  burst  into  tears,  and 
retired  into  a  neighboring  room  in  order  to  conceal  his  emo- 
tion. I  returned  to  the  bedside  of  Randolph,  and  he  an- 
nounced to  me  his  desire  of  being  received  into  the  Catholio 
Church.  "I  desire,  with  all  my  heart,"  he  said,  "to  be  bap- 
tized. It  is  a  great  boon  which  Heaven  vouchsafes  to  me. 
My  father  certainly  will  consent  to  it."  I  immediately#n- 
tered  the  apartment  to  which  his  father  had  retired,  to 
communicate  his  son's  wish,  and  to  console  him  by  the 
condition  of  his  son  in  a  religious  point  of  view.  I  also 
spoke  of  the  urgency  and  the  necessity  of  baptism.  Tho 
Senator  willingly  consented.  He  would  have  desired  that 
the  ceremony  should  be  postponed  for  a  few  hours  "  until 
the  opiates,  which  for  a  day  past  had  been  given  to  the 
patient,  should  have  procured  for  him  a  little  sleep,"  but 
there  was  danger  in  thus  delaying.  This  forced  sleep  made 
me  uneasy.  I  remarked  to  the  Senator  that  the  ceremony 
could  not  in  any  manner  disturb  the  patient's  sleep,  except 
for  a  very  few  moments ;  it  might  have  a  beneficial  eff"ect  in 
tranquillizing  his  mind.  He  affectionately  asked  me  to  per- 
form for  his  son  the  duties  of  my  holy  ministry.  The  latter 
learned  this  consent  with  joy  and  gratitude,  and  immediately 
prepared  himself  to  receive  the  holy  sacrament  of  baptism. 
While  I  was  administering  it  to  him,  he  devoutly  crossed  his 
arms  over  his  breast,  and  raising  his  eyes  to  heaven  prayed 


[. 


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il 


^'t»! 


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If 

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376 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


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Hi      ■■' 


with  fervor,  thanking  God  for  the  signal  grace  accorded  to 
him.  I  then  left  him,  urging  him  to  try  and  take  some 
Bleep.  I  left  in  order  to  procure  the  blessed  sacrament  of  the 
holy  0,1s  An  hour  later  I  received  the  following  note,  writ- 
ten  by  Colonel  Benton :  b        t      ^ 

IlAijr-PA8T  11  o'clock,  Marcli  16,  1852. 
My  DEAR  Father  De  Smet  : 

I  went  into  the  room  the  moment  you  left  me.    Ho 
nnmedmtely  said  to  me,  .'Are  you  pleased  with  what  I  have 

thai- .  T:     T '  '"^  ^*^^^"  ^"^^^^^  ^'^^  t-  yiei^i  to 

the  opmtes  he  had  taken,  and  go  to  sleep.     He  said,  "Ex- 
cuement  and  happiness  have  done  more  for  me  than  sleep 

lay  on  h,s  back,  the  head  raised  on  the  pillow,  he  said  in  a 
clear,  calm,  modulated  voice,  and  radiant  look,  «  Thank  God 

IZ  anTl'  'I  l''^"  '"^^°^  ""''  ''''  '^  -'  -^^  *^--e 
voce  and  look,  he  repeated  the  words  to  me,  and  said,  "I 

intended  to  do  it  long  ago,  but  did  not  know  whether  you 

H  is  th    ;  f    r  '°^'.  ''"  '^  "^'^  "^^  ^^m-    And  tru  y 
1   IS  the  first  feehng  of  relief  I  have  had  in  these  five  terri- 

be  days  and  mghts.     So,  dear  Father,  all  is  in  your  hands 
now.    You  are  giving  peace  to  me  in  giving  it  to  him. 

Aflectionately, 

Thos.  H.  Benton. 

In  another  letter  of  Colonel  Benton  to  me,  on  the  day  sub- 
sequent  to  the  death  of  his  son,  he  wrote  as  follows : 

Dbar  Father  De  Smet  : 

r.d/^'^'' *V°^''^"''  *^  ^^^  ^''  ^"^H  a  school  com- 
rada  and  fi-iend  of  my  poor  child  years  ago.    I  wish  you  to 


H 

- 

^^^^^^H^^wF^n 

m 

^^^^E^' 

^<^i 

i 

1 

J 

t 

AND   MISSIONARIES. 


877 


talk  with  him.  Ho  will  show  that  it  was  indeed  loner  (i,,  his 
short  hfo)  that  ho  meditated  tho  step  ho  took-e'ven  four 
years  ago.  lie  will  give  to  you  gratifying  details,  as  ho  has 
t..  me,  and  will  show  (what  you  and  I  well  knew,  from  him- 
self  and  from  our  observation)  that  it  was  not  the  near 
approach  of  death  and  tho  sick-bed  that  brought  him  to  this 
act,  but  his  own  heart,  in  the  happiest  state  of  his  health 
and  mind. 

Thos.  H.  Benton. 

Young  Randol])h,  during  his  last  hours,  was  surrounded 
by  many  of  his  near  relatives  and  friends.     During  his  lucid 
moments  he  did  not  cease  to  manifest  the  deepest  gratitude 
to  the  divine  goodness,  that  !,e  should  have  been  led  back 
to  the  fold  of  Christ.     He  leceived  the  last  sacraments  with 
sentiments  of  great  fervor;  and  tranquilly,  about  sunrise  of 
the  I7tb  March,  1852,  went  to  sleep  in  the  Lord,  confident 
m  the  hope.  Ihat  he  exchanged  this  mortal  life  for  another 
and  a  happier  one  forever  m  heaven.     The  funeral  services 
were  performed  at  the  cathedral.     The  Most  Rev.  Arch- 
bishop  himself  officiated  and  pronounced  a  beautiful  dis- 
course, well  suited  to  the  occasion.     These  circumstances, 
together  with  the  edifying  scenes  of  the  last  moments,  and 
of  the  conversion  of  his  son,  cannot  fail  to  leave  a  deep  and 
favorable  impression  upon  the  mind  and  the  heart  of  the 
venerable  and  illustrious  Senator;  for  he  shared  the  happy 
sentiments  so  piously  and  so  tenderly  expressed  by  his  son 
before  and  after  the  latter  had  had  the  happiness  to  receive 
the  grace  of  baptism. 

I  haye  the  honor  to  be,  etc., 

,      P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 
82* 


,  I 


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■1  -f  ■ 

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WESTERN   MISSIONS 


)      1 

I' 


T*M  ■ 


.ip. 


Letter  XXXII. 

To  THE  Editoh  of  THE  Pk^cis  Historiques,  Brussels. 

£eligious  Situation  of  St,  Louis  and  St.  Ferdinand.-Death  of 
Mev.  Father  Bax.^The  Oaagea. 

Reverend  Father  : 

the  Canon  Do  la  Co,.,  at  Ghent.  If  that  respeeted  eccled- 
a  t  0  w,H  a^Iow  ,.,  publication,  it  may  form  the  continual  L 
of  those  which  I  have  already  addressed  yoB : 


St.  Josbm',  CoiLEos,  KE»TuoEr,  April  16,  iej6 

onf'C™  «T'™  '"f°™«'.  ty  a  letter  from  one  of 
om  Fathers  in  Belg.un,,  that  you  have  authorized  him  to 
announce  to  „s  an  advantageous  donation,  allowed  by  the 

ng  the  oc,ety  m  ils  labors  in  lMiss„uri,  which,  «t  the  present 
TtL  Wet ';!r""' "'''*'■ ''''•^' -'•  T--'''-ies,sUuard 

01  tlie  Rev.  iather  Provmcal,  with  sentiments  of  the  most 
smcere  and  heartfelt  gratitude. 

Since  the  period  of  y„„r  departure,  there  have  been  many  ■ 
changes  ,n  the^/W-W.  which  you  were  one  of  the  fi^I 

into  some  details  concernmg  the  cities  of  St.  Louis  and  of 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


879 


WSSBLS. 

—Death  of 


[  wrote  to 
ad  ecclesi- 
QtiDuation 

16,  1865. 

m  one  of 
d  him  to 
d  by  the 
se  of  aid- 
e  present 
>  situated 
;he  name 
;he  most 

en  many  • 
the  first 
to  enter 
3  and  of 


St.  Ferdinand,  with  wliich  you  were  formerly  so  well  ac 
quamted,  and  of  the  nomadic  tribe  of  the  Osages,  of  which 
you  were  the  earliest  npostlo. 

In  1823,  St.  Louis  counted  but  3000  or  4000  inhabitants. 
There  was  but  one  poor  Catholic  church-and  two  schools 
were  all  that  she  could  boast.     At  the  present  day  her  popu- 
lation  exceeds  120,000  souls;  there  is  a  handson^e  cathedral, 
with  eleven  other  churches,  a  seminary  for  the  secular  c\ovJ 
a  large  and  magnificent  hospital,  directed  by  the  Sisters  of 
St.  Vincent   of  Paul ;  a  college  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
boarders,  one  hundred  and  twenty  half-boarders  and  externs. 
and  three  hundred  or  four  hundred  children  gratuitously 
admitted.     There  is  a  boarding-school  for  the  children  of 
good   families,  under  the  direction  of  the  Brothers  of  tho 
Christian  schools ;    the  Ladies  of  the    Sacred   Heart,   the 
Sisters  of  the  Visitation,  and  the  Ursulines,  have  handsome 
and  extensive  boarding-schools  for  young  ladies.     Five  asy- 
Jums    for  m  two    sexes,   contain    beyond    five    hundred 
children ;  and  there  is  also  a  foundling  hospital.     A  house  of 
retreat  is'opened  to  penitents,  and  to  young  girls  in  danger. 
Eleven  or  twelve  schools  for  boys  and  girls,  are  conducted  by 
religious.    I   regret  that  I  have  not  the  statistics  of  the 
fructm  animarum  (fruit  of  souls)  ;  it  must  be  extremely 
consoling,  for  all  the  churches  are  very  well  frequented 

The  fervor  of  the  Catholics  corresponds  everywhere  to  the 
zeal  of  their  pastors.  The  union  and  harmony  which  reign 
between  the  secular  and  regular  clergy,  under  the  paternal 
administration  of  our  venerable  archbishop,  contributes  much 
to  propagate  our  holy  religion,  and  to  maintain  the  fervor  of 
thefaithful  in  St.  Louis.  The  Faith  keeps  pace  with  the 
rapid  ana  wonderful  increase  of  our  flourishing  citj^  which 
you  saw  in  us  cradle  I 

The  following  are  some  details  of  the  spiritual  fruits  which 


I '' 


m 


•li 


880 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


!  .    4 


fH' 


:)• 


|!     ''I 


rej..ico  the  p„,to,^  of  the  cin.rcl,  of  St.  Fr»„.I,  X,.vier  •   In 

"utrr   K         '""  ^r''"'"  ' """' "--'0.1 'fifty 

I    u„,„l.     hvory  j-,,.,.r  ,!,„  c„„vc.,-,io,„  „f  l-rota.ant,  to  ll,„ 
talhoh.  ,.d,„,o„  „,„.„,„1»  ,0  ,„  ,„„„y  „,  .i,,j,  or  ,.i  |„       Ti," 

:;;  'iT'^r'  "r  f-""  V"'*?-  ."nmi  ,„„,,,,„  „ 

.1.  J  „,..,„ler,,  bd„„Ki„B  ,o  every  ,.„„k  of  .o.  ety-l„,^ 

confr„to,„,ty  ,„„„b..,.,  f,,„„  «,„  j,,„„^,„„,  ^  <•'■ 

.^embe,. ;  t,,e  Co„f,.„to,.„i,y  of  the  Saced  Heart,  two  b  "u 
Band,  f  be  B,„Klay.,cbool  altachej  to  tbo  ebu  eb  is  fre 
quented  by  nearly  one  thousand  cbiMren. 

»i  erit!!;, ";:;;:  •"  "•  '"■■'''."»'"'-  -  ^ '»"™"'.  «ftccn 

"J lies  distant,  tlicre   is  a  success  on  of  beautiful  f..,.«,c        i 

«  greatly  extended.     Of  the  old  cottas,;,  and  of  the  crfb 
wb,oh  acrved  you  as  a  bed,  there  now  re™  .in,  but  an  ediJv 
..«  re™emb,»„ce-our  brothers  have  replaced  tlm  bf I 
-v,,ate  and  sebolasticate,  built  of  hewu's  ton   /  Ce  Lo 

:  t-r.'d""''''';' "' "-/ ''''""  ""^■'  ^  -™-"Hy 

S!CnT;inSf"^  °^  "^"'"  -  ~™'  ■■  «-../tbe 

t..e'nli;!„Tsrt:™Cnr''^  '"  ..aves„,„enews  o, 
«hom  you  «-ere  be  fct  I  ^^"'°  f'"™^  *'"  °^»S''^'  '" 

everlas,  „g  Go  1     T,    str'rT"'.''''  ™"'°''"'°"'  "^ «'« 

«--eb  ..^^fte^rrrs^^^^^ 


AND   MrSSroNARIEfl. 


»81 


"5^'ivier :    Tn 
■aedad  My 
ants  to  tlio 
k'lXy.    'Mie 
u.tlian  four 
•iety — law- 
>  nionibers 
noiitli,  and 
The  Arch- 
tliousiincl 
<wo  thou- 
ch  is  fre- 

it,  fifteen 
aims  and 
Reverend 
were  the 
and  has 
h  of  the 
i^enerable 
i  bishop, 
the  crib 
m  edify- 
»m  by  a 
lese  two 
unity  ol 
'oiig  the 

iiews  of 
^ges,  to 
s  of  the 
^hinted, 
sterile. 


You  nro  ncquainted  with  the  difflcultios  of  the  Osago  mia- 
»ion.  hviUfT  in  the  nei^diborhood  of  the  boiitKlary  lino  of  the 
United  Stutrs,  th.-so  Indians  learn  to  adopt,  very  easily,  all 
the  vices  of  the  whites,  without  joinin-,^  to  them  any  of /heir 
virtues.  They  forget  the  frugality  and  simplicity  which  for- 
niorly  characterized  them,  and  give  tiicnjselves  up  to  intem- 
perance and  the  perfidiousness  of  civilized  life.  However, 
every  year  a  considerable  number  of  adults  enter  the  bosom 
of  the  Churcli ;  a  great  number  of  children  receive  baptism, 
and  as  they  often  die  very  young,  tliey  are  so  many  innocent 
Bouls  who  intercede  in  heaven  for  the  conversion  of  their 
unhappy  parents,  buried  in  the  grossest  superstition  and 
idolatry  of  paganism. 

In  the  spring  of  1852  an  epidemic  malady,  which  made 
great  ravages,  became  for  a  largo  number  (althougli  weaken- 
ing the  power  of  their  nation)  a  blessed  occasion  of  salva- 
tion. The  violence  of  this  disease,  against  which  the  Indian 
cannot  be  easily  induced  to  take  necessary  precautions,  the 
sufferings  of  the  whole  tribe,  the  universal  panic,  the  grief- 
all  these  miseries  presenting  themselves  under  a  thousand  dif- 
ferent forms— wrung  the  hearts  of  the  missionaries.  Naught 
but  the  reflection  that  Providence  had  sent  this  terrible  scourge 
for  their  spiritual  good,  was  capable  of  consoling  them. 

During  this  unhappy  year,  and  when  the  extreme  violence 
of  the  epidemic  had  ceased,  we  were  called  to  deplore  the 
loss  of  Father  Bax,  who  fell  a  victim  of  truly  heroic  charity, 
exercised  towards  the  poor  savages,  in  order  to  soothe  their 
Bufferings,  and  win  their  souls  to  God.  Father  Bax  was 
born  on  the  16th  of  January,  1817,  in  a  village  near  Turn- 
hout,  in  Belgium.  The  disease,  which  commenced  among 
the  children  of  the  mission,  spread  rapidly  throughout  all 
the  villages  of  the  tribe.  Father  Bax,  by  his  knowledge  of 
medicine,  and  the  cui-es  which  he  effected,  was  renowned 


'  ill 

1!» 


i  ■  ■ 

I 

i        j  ■ 

»    ■    li 

k:il 

1  '          i 

:.      !■ 

1 

882 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


f., 

i 
i 


_j'.. 

-:;* 


! 


EM   • 

1 

^S 

ft 

^ni 

^ 

f  ~M 

i 

i^ 

i 

throngLout  tho  nation.    Tl.o  -nvngc,  camo  in  troop,  from 
every  H,.Ie  to  call  hi.n  into  th.ir  carnp«.     It  wouM  1,.,  ditli. 
•   ci,  t  to  torn,  an   i.Joa  of  all  tl.o  fati^n.es  he  was  obligoci  to 
e.Kl.,re.     Imo.h   early   n.orniriff,   after    having    given   ,on.e 
«.s.st.nco  to  the  chiMren  of  the  n.i.ssion  «ohool,  he  would  go 
into  the  cnv.ronH,  from  cabin  to  cabin,  bearing  g|„clne«,  and 
comfort  ,n  I.ks  passage.     Ho  afterward,  would  turn  hi«  «tcp, 
to  tho  other  camps  of  tho   nation,  to  offer  them  the  sa.no 
blessings.    To  do  tho  last,  it  became  necessary  to  employ 
soveral  days,  and  en<luro  very  heavy  fatigue  in  visiting  thenu 
Iho  zoa  ous  rehgious  adu.inistered  tho  last  sacraments  to  the 
dying,    baptized   the   expiring  infants,  taught  tho  catechu- 
njens,  exhorted,  and  often  succeeded  in  converting,  tho  most' 
obsfnato.     I  0  perfonned  at  once  the  office  of  physician, 
cateclnst,  and  pr.est.     Ho  returned  to  the  house  of  tho  mis! 
sionanes,  exhausted  with  fiitigue,  o.dy  to  renew  on  tho  mor- 
row  tho  same  deeds  of  charity,  braving  tho  inclemency  of 
tho  seasons-tho  frecjuent  rains  of  spring,  the  sudden  and 
overpowermg  heat  of  summer,  with  the  sudden  cold  which 
succeeds  the  heat  in  these  sections,  at  this  epoch  of  tho  year. 
All  th,s  devoted..ess  was  not  capable  of  hindering  the 
mahce  of  some  enemies-let  us  rather  say,  tho  rage  of  hell  ' 
irntated  at  the  view  of  so  many  souls  rescued  from\s  grasp. 
The  dovil   mvonted  against  tho  excellent  missionary!  and 
agamst  the  whole  mission,  a  calumny,-extremoly  ridiculous, 
without  doubt,  in  the  eyes  of  tho  civihzed,  but  entirely  in 
accordance  with  Indian  prejudices,  superstition,  and  credulity 
A  report  was  spread  throughout  tho  camps,  that  the  whites 
were  the  authors  of  the  scourge  ;  that  tho  Black-gowns  (the 
lTA-u1  ^,7^r^«'^-rm,  vulgarly  called   medic  no. 
which  killed  an  the  Indians;  that  this  charm  was  a  certain 
hook,u.  which  they  inscribed  tho  names  of  the  Osages,  and 
thereby  obtained  a  power  of  life  or  death   over  all    hose 


IHD  If  SBIONARreS. 


888 


in  troopfl  from 
would  Im  (lilH- 
was  ohliij^od  to 
g    givcm   Bomo 
f)l,  ho  would  go 
ig,(?ladnt'fls  And 
I  turn  his  stop^ 
tlicrn  the  nnnio 
'nry  to  employ 
I  viHitinj^  then), 
iramonts  to  the 
t  the   catochu- 
itinjif,  the  most* 
I  of  physician, 
ISO  of  the  niis- 
w  on  tlio  mor- 
inclenioncy  of 
le  sudden  and 
3n  cold  which 
-li  of  the  year, 
hindering  the 
i  rage  of  hell, ' 
roin  its  grasp, 
issionary,  and 
ely  ridiculous, 
it  entirely  in 
and  credulity, 
at  the  whites 
k-gowns  (the 
id   medicine, 
tvas  a  certain 
Osages,  and 
er  all  those 


whoso  names  the  book  contained.  Tlio  register  of  baptism* 
was  meant.  They  hold  the  superstitious  iwdicf  that  wh.mo- 
over  posse«s..8  a  book,  has  an  abH.)lute  empire  over  th.»  life 
of  those  whose  names  are  written  in  it.  The  calumny 
spread  from  village  to  village,  in  all  tho  cabins ;  as  it  was 
propagated,  its  details  assumed  a  darker  hue.  Tho  malevo- 
lent wont  about  exhortiiig  thoir  companions  to  attack  the 
mission,  saying  that  they  wouM  arrtist  tho  course  of  the 
malady,  if  they  could  attain  tho  destruction  of  tho  terrible 
magical  charm,  by  burning  tho  enchanted  book  possessed  by 
the  missionaries.  This  absurd  talo  was  sulHcient  to  engage 
Boveral  parents  to  withdraw  their  children  from  tho  mission 
school. 

Fortunately,  the  Black-gowns  had  innuential  friends  among 
the  chiefs  of  tho  Osages.  They  went  no  farther-on  reason- 
ing with  the  most  intelliircnt  Indians,  they  succeeded  in  ap- 
peasing their  rage  and  ill-will.  Tho  Lord,  who  permits  tiie 
rising  of  tho  tempest,  can  calm  it  at  his  own  good  time ! 

Heaven  accorded  its  benedictions  to  the  efforts  of  Father 
Bax  and  his  companions  in  this  painful  ministry.     Of  nearly 
1600  savages,  who  were  swept  away  by  the  epidemic,  all, 
with  a  very  few  exceptions,  had  the  happiness  of  being' for- 
tified by  the  last  sacraments  of  tho  Church  before  dying. 
Seized,  at  last,  himself  with  symptoms  of  the  illness.  Father 
Bax  continued  his  ordinary  labors,  and  dragged  himself 
around  to  visit  the  sick  and  dying.     His  zeal  would  not  suf- 
fer him  to  attend  to  himself.     Strength  soon  failed  him. 
He  was  dying  while  still  laboring  I     He  was  obliged,  at  last," 
to  consent  to  allow  himself  to  be  transported  about  forty 
miles  from  the  mission,  to  Fort  Scott,  a  military  post,  where 
one  of  the  most  skilful  physicians  of  the  United  States  army 
then  resided.     It  was  too  late,  all  the  cares  of  the  doctor, 
proved  useless.    The  good  religious,  the  indefatigable  mis- 


i 


f 


884 


WESTERN   MI86ION8 


•ionnry,  wiw  a,  fruit  ripe  for  Iu'rvcmj.  At  tlio  en<l  of  nix  weekt 
li«  iWvA  HH  ho  lia.l  liv..,|.  IlJM  last  nMpirationn  whowe.l  iitill 
liis  unfjKlitijir  zrul  for  tho  corivriHiou  ..fhin  <l,.ftr  msHj^vt. 

Dmiiig  tlu!  (Ivo  >om«thatlio  paH«..<l  in  tlio  rni««ion«,  ht 
brought  hack  to  the  faith  a  grcht  nutnUr  of  haif-hioodis 
formerly  haptized  in  the  Church,  but  Tor  want  of  pii,.«t» 
811(1  instructionn,  unfortunatt-ly  piMvcrtts.l  by  lVot<-i»tant  min- 
iBters;  besidos,  he  baptized  nioro  than  2000  IndiuuH,  ao  well 
children  m  adults,  of  every  ago.  He  instructs  his  neo- 
phytes with  the  greatest  care,  and  tlio  most  pains-takitig  a»- 
Biduity.  His  charity  had  so  gained  the  hearU,  that  all  these 
lavages  called  him  only  by  the  beautiful  wor.l,  which  in  the 
Osago  language  signifies,  "the  Father  who  is  all  heart." 

His  death  excit.-d  profound  regr.-t.  His  fellow-religioun 
cherished  liiin,  and  had  always  been  edified  by  his  ex- 
ample and  his  virtues;  the  whites  whom  ho  visited  on  the 
frontiers  of  the  States,  whom  ho  fortified  and  encouraged  in 
the  abandonment  in  which  ho  found  them,  loved  him  as  a 
protector;  but  his  loss  was  especially  felt  by  the  tribe 
which  he  evangelized  with  so  much  constancy,  ardor,  and 
success. 

Some  days  before  his  death,  Father  Bax  wrote  me  as 
follows : 

"The  contagion  is  spreading  among  the  Indians,  and  the 
mortality  is  very  great.  The  difficulty  will  be,  to  collect  the 
scattered  flock ;  however,  I  have  the  consolation  of  being 
able  to  say,  that  never  yet,  either  among  the  negroes,  or 
among  the  whites,  or  among  religious,  or  among  persons  of 
the  world,  have  I  ever  been  witness  to  as  much  fervor  and 
piety  on  the  bed  of  death.  Edifying  is  the  death  of  which 
our  young  neophytes  have  given  the  example.  Some,  of 
their  own  free  will,  asked  to  hold  the  crucifix  in  their  hands ; 
they  clasped  it  without  leaving  it,  for  more  than  two  hours! 


•itt 


AND    MISarONAUIEll. 


885 


ote  me  as 


lh«  -Utuc  of  tl,o  nio«u.<|  Virgin  wm  to  b«  pl«r..l  by  th«ir 
pilIowH.  Imploring  tl.«  nmnUun-.^  o(  t\mrgo,H\  Mother  (hey 
Jixi.i  thnr  dywff  .yen  or,  hor  i,nnK«.  I  havo  (ho  Htronff 
h"po  that  thoy  airoHdy  tMijoy  tho  pifHi'tico  of  (Jod.  The 
Lord  »c,c.r,u  to  wi«h  to  gather  into  Im  gm.mrv  tho  liftlo  that 
wo  Imvo  «owed  hero  below.  What  ,nay  bo'  tho  de«ig„«  <^  < 
hM  Irovnlonco  for  tho  future  of  our  mi««ion,  wo  cannot.' 
and  wo  .  aro  not  conjecture.  May  His  holy  will  bo  accom- 
pliHhed ! ' 

This  in  the  la«t  letter  I  had  tho  happine««  of  r«ceivinff 
frotii  I<  ather  liax.  * 

Tho  Obngo  nntion,  like  tho  gronter  part  of  the  '^ler 
tnbe«  of  the  Great  VVeHtorn  Desert,  which  were  formerly  «o 
numerous  and  flourishing,  is  rapidly  diminishing  in  numbers. 
It  m  now  reduced  to  3000  souls,  and  divided  into  twelve  vil- 
lages,  situated  in  differont  directions  around  tho  centre  of  tho 
mmion.  Ordinarily,  the  OHnges  dwell  or  encamp  in  tho 
valleys  on  tho  borders  of  the  rivers,  or  near  some  spring  of 
pure  and  overflowing  water.  They  live,  for  the  most  part, 
as  m  tho  primitive  ti.nes,  on  the  roots  and  spontaneous  fruits 
ot  the  earth,  and  tho  animals  which  they  kill  in  the  chaso 

There  aro  but  two  Fathers  to  visit  these  different  villairos, 
situated  at  the  distance  of  fifty  and  seventy  miles  from  each 
other.  Ihe  toils  and  fatigues  of  the  holy  ministry  there  are 
excessive.  The  catechumens  must  bo  instructed,  tho  neo- 
phytes sustained,  the  sick  and  dying  visited,  and  continual 
e  lorts  made  to  convert  obstinate  adults.  Amid  so  many 
obstacles,  so  many  privations  and  difficulties,  the  missionaries 
hnd  also  sweet  consolations  in  the  fruits  which  the  Lord 
deigns  to  grant  to  their  labors.  Every  year  they  baptizo 
among  the  Osages  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  persons. 

The  missionaries  also  visit  the  neighboring  tribes,  such  as 
the  Quapaws,  who  number  only  three  hundred  and  fiftv. 

33  •' 


W'    I 


m 


m 


S86 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


L     V'- 

•''1 
.-I 


M  ^' 


J! 


•* 


II 

^^;; ' 

1 

■>  1. 

it 

n^^T 

1 

.nd  of  whom  one  hundred  ,„d  thirty  »dulU  and  chi]dre« 
have  been  bapl,.ed  ,„  the  course  of  the  last  two  ye,,r,.     En- 

T  T  °  '"^'""^  '"'P'''™  """-"g  the  Pioria.  and 

the  Miajn;,     The  Seneeaa,  the  Cherokee,,  Creek,   Shaw- 
nee,,  and  other  nations,  situated  two  hundred  miles  louth  of 
the  n„ss,on,  can  be  visited  only  „„ee  or  twice  in  the  y  ar 
Notw,thstandH,g  the  Opposition  of  Protestant  ministers,  ,he"e 
a  e  some  Catholics  among  all  the«,  tribes.    A  great  n unXr 

on  the  Indian  temtory  now  called  Kansas.  They  receive 
from  t.me  to  t,me,  the  visit  and  the  spiritual  aid  of  one  J; 
other  Father  of  the  mission  of  St  Francis  Hieronymo.  "rw 
8.ght  of  a  pncst,  the  happii.ess  of  hearing  m„,,,  „„,,  „f  " 
proachrng  the  holy  tabic,  draw  tears  of  joy  from  ,h«  I 
cellent  ehddren  of  the  Church.  Without  these  visitrthey 
would  be  entirely  abandoned.  The  destitution  of  priesU  I 
on  o  the  prmcpal  causes  of  the  defection  of  thousands  of 
Catholic,  who  gradually  lose  their  faith 

Two  boarding-schools  have  been  established  in  the  rai.«ion 
of  the  Osages:  one  for  boys,  nnder  the  direction  of  a  Father 
and  of  several  brothers ;  the  other  for  girls,  under  the  direc 
tion  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Loret^  from  Kentucky.    The» 

children  They  teach  them  the  elements  of  literature,  with 
the  pri„cip  es  of  civilization,  at  the  same  time  that  th  y  ex- 
cite and  cultivate  piety  in  their  hearts.  These  schools  en- 
courage the  hope,  that  the  day  will  come  when  these  savage 
tribes  may  become  changed  and  civilized  and  Christian  3 
mumties  It  will  be  difficult,  above  all,  in  these  distn"  tHo 
bnng  the  adnlte  to  this  mode  of  existence:  they  artoo 
much  accustomed  to  the  nomadic  life;  too  proud  of  their 
barbarous  independence,  and  frequently  enslaved  to  the  de- 


If.  '■ 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


387 


1  and  children 
fo  years.     En- 
le  Piorias  and 
Greeks,  Shaw- 
milcs  south  of 
e  in  the  year, 
ministers,  tliere 
great  number 
1  the  frontiers 
wliich  border 
They  receive, 
aid  of  one  or 
3nymo.     Tho 
s,  and  of  ap- 
ora  those  ex- 
56  visits  they 
of  priests  is 
thousands  of 

fi  the  mission 
I  of  a  Father 
er  the  direc- 
cky.     These 
idred  Indian 
srature,  with 
hat  they  ex- 
schools  en- 
hese  savaire 
ristian  com- 
districts,  to 
ey  are  too 
ud  of  their 
to  the  de- 


grading vices  of  the  whites,  and  to  tho  immoderate  use  of 
ardent  spirits,  which  they  easily  obtain  by  their  commerce 
with  the  latter,  and  in  their  frequent  visi(:s  to  tho  frontiers 
of  the  States.  Kach  sincere  and  durable  conversion  among 
these,  is  a  miracle  of  grace. 

The  United  States. government  grants  to  the  Osages,  for  the 
support  of  their  schools,  au  annual  subsidy,  accruing  from  the 
sale  of  their  lands.  This  assistance  being  insufficient,  and  in 
order  to  give  a  striking  testimony  of  attachment  and  friendship 
towards  the  Black-gowns,  all  tho  chiefs  of  the  nation  have 
obtained,  by  treaty,  from  the  government,  an  augmentation  of 
funds  destined  to  the  maintenance  of  the  schools ;  and  also  a 
liberal  donation  for  making  provision  for  the  other  necessities 
of  the  mission.  The  mission  owns  a  farm,  which  contrib- 
utes towards  defraying  its  expenses.  With  all  this,  it  may 
be  said,  that  the  missionaries  are  still  obliged  to  live  a  poor 
and  hard  life,  in  the  midst  of  many  privations.  Yet  it  must 
be  admitted,  that  the  m.ission  among  the  Osages  is  estab- 
lished on  a  tolerably  solid  footing. 

We  give  the  following  extract  from  the  annual  message 
of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  in  1854.  The  agent 
of  the  Osages,  in  his  report  to  the  government,  speaking  of 
this  nation,  says : 

"  The  schools,  under  the  direction  of  the  Fathers  of  the 
Society  of  Jesus,  among  the  Osages,  are  very  flourishing. 
These  Fathers  merit  great  oulogiums  for  their  endeavors  to 
ameliorate  the  condition  of  this  nation.  Having  had  the 
pleasure  of  assisting  at  the  examination  of  their  scholars,  I 
cheerfully  add  my  testimony  to  that  of  others  in  favor  of  the 
method  pursued  in  these  establishments.  I  doubt  whether 
there  are  any  schools  in  the  Indian  territory  which  exercise 
so  salutary  an  influence  on  the  minds  of  the  Indians,  or  that 
can  even  be  compared  with  thona.    The  pupils  progress  rap- 


"s 


:tt' 


388 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


!;i    I 


^^^nu^v 

HHpi 

-  ' 

my 

I 

■P 

If 

■ 

^^^hS^ 

f 

i 
! 

m 

5 

idly  in  theii  studies;  tliey  are  well  fed  and  well  clothed,  and 
appear  happy  and  satisfied. 

"The  Catholic  establishment,  ns  well  as  the  whole  nation 
of  the  Osages,  have  met  with  an  irreparable  loss  by  the  death 
of  the  indefatigable  Father  Bax.  The  most  rigorous  season 
could  never  hinder  him  from  visiting  the  most  remote  tribes 
of  the  nation,  when  there  was  question  of  carrying  consola- 
tion  to  the  sick,  and  of  accomplishing  the  duties  of  his  sacred 
mmistry." 

We  cannot  without  sighing  cast  a  lodk  over  the  immense 
Indian  territory,  which  stretches  far  away  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains.     There  a  great  number  of  nations  still  continue 
their  errant  life.     There  remains  but  a  feeble  ray  of  hope 
that  they  will  obtain  spiritual  aid.     It  is  not  because  the 
field  IS  barren ;  it  has  been  already  explored  by  the  Fathers 
Hoeken  and  Point,  both  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  and  by  the 
Bbv  Messrs  Bellecourt  and  Ravoux.     I  have  gone  over  its 
whole  extent  at  different  periods.     All  the  missionaries  de- 
Clare  unanimously,  that  everywhere,  in  all  their  visits,  they 
have  been  received  with  the  most  touching  deference  by  the 
savages ;  that  the  various  tribes  have  testified  the  deepest 
interest  in  our  holy  religion.    Several  thousand  children  and 
a  great  number  of  adulis,  particularly  among  the  Black-Feet 
the  Crows,  the  Sioux,  Poncahs,  Ricaries,  Minataries,  Chey' 
ennes,  and  the  Rapahoes,  have  already  been  regenerated  in 
the  holy  waters  of  baptism.      The  personal  and  material 
means  have  hitherto  been  wanting  for  beginning  therein  du- 
rable establishments.     The  Indians  year  after  year  renew  their 
invitations.     We  shall  continue  to  supplicate  the  Master  of 
the  vineyard,  to  deign  to  send  us  auxiliaries,  so  as  to  diff-use 
our  missions  in  this  extensive  region.    «  The  harvest  is  great 
but  the  laborers  are  few."  ' 

By  a  letter  recently  received  from  the  Rocky  Mountains, 


4        '' 


AND  MISSIONARIKB. 


880 


clothed,  and 

I'hole  nation 
3y  the  death 
)rou8  season 
jmote  tribes 
ing  consola- 
3f  his  sacred 

be  immense 
the  Rocky 
ill  continue 
'ay  of  hope 
)ecau8e  the 
he  Fathers 
and  by  the 
oe  over  its 
lonaries  de- 
visits,  they 
nee  by  the 
he  deepest 
tildren  and 
3Iack-Feet, 
ries,  Chey- 
nerated  in 
i  material 
herein  du- 
enew  their 
Master  of 
to  diflfuse 
it  is  great, 

(ountains, 


and  written  by  Father  Joset,  I  learn  that  the  Indians  of  our 
different  missions  in  Oregon  contiimo  to  give  much  consols- 
tion  to  their  missionaries,  by  their  zeal  and  fervor  in  ino 
holy  practices  of  religion.  "I  hope,"  writes  Father  Joset, 
"that  the  Sacrament  of  Confirmation,  that  they  have  just 
received,  will  give  greater  stability  to  their  good  resolutions. 
Although  the  arrival  of  Mgr.  Blnnchet  was  announced  only 
some  hours  before  (for  there  is  as  yet  no  post  in  those  wilds), 
and  that  we  found  it  impossible  to  assemble  more  than  half 
of  the  neophytes,  the  prelate  however  gave  Confirmation  to 
more  than  six  hundred  faithful.  The  pastor  wjis  enchanted 
with  our  missions  and  our  neophytes.  The  conversions  to 
the  faith  in  these  missions  are  every  year  very  consoling." 

Our  new  establishments  in  California  succeed  well;  our 
college  of  Santa  Clara  has  nearly  a  hundred  boarders. 

Be  so  good.  Reverend  Sir,  as  tc  present  my  most  humble 
respect  and  esteem  to  Mouseigneur,  the  bishop  of  Ghent;  to 
the  President  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Seminary,  to  the  Canons, 
Van  Crombrugghe,  De  Smet  Ilelias,  De  Decker,  and  to  our 
Reverend  Fathers. 

Commend  me,  if  you  please,  to  the  prayers  of  your  good 
Religious,  and  allow  me  to  commit  myself  in  a  particular 
manner  to  your  memento  at  the  Holy  Sacrifice,  in  which 
union  I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Your  most  humble  and  most  obedient  servant, 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J 
880 


/ 

'                      / 

i 

■;■ 

1 

■•, 

I 

>  i 

.Ki 


'■I 


fl^-; 


390 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


i 


19.  '1 


Letter  ^XXIII. 

To  THE  Editor  of  thk  Precis  IIistoriques,  Brussels. 

The  Monnona. 

Univebsitv  of  St,  Louib,  Jan.  10,  1858. 
EeV.  AND    DK\R    FatiIKH: 

I  propose  to  give  you  in  this  letter  a  short  sketch  of  the 
fanatic  sect  of  Murnions,  against  whom  the  government  of 
the  United  States  has  just  sent  troops,  in  order  to  subject 
til  em  to  the  laws,  or  force  them  to  leave  the  country.  The 
facts  which  I  will  relate  on  the  origin  and  history  of  this 
singular  people,  are  chiefly  drawn  from  a  recent  work  by 
John  Hyde,  who  had  been  an  elder  or  minister  of  the  Mor- 
mon sect. 

The  founder  of  the  Mormons  was  one  Joseph  Smith,  bora 
of  an  obscure  family,  December  23,  1805,  at  Sharon,  Wind- 
sor county,  Vermont.      The  whole  life  of  this  man,  from 
youth  up,  was  marked  by  fanaticism,  fraud,  and  vice.     More 
than  fifty  persons   of  good  reputation   and  in  every  way 
worthy  of  respect,  who  knew  him  at  Palmyra,  New  York 
where  he  had  settled  with  his  family,  have  testified  nnder 
oath  that  Joseph  Smith  was  regarded  as  a  man  of  no  moral 
character  and  given,  (o  vi.-ious  hahits.     In  1820  Smith  em- 
braced Metho,lisin.     In  April  of  that  y.ar  he  pretended  to 
have  had  a  r.v<-lntion  from   Heaven,  while  pravino-  i„  the 
wood.     He.  said  that  Cu.\  ti,e   Father,  au.i  Je.ns  clnist  his 
feon,  had  appeared  to  iiiui,  a::.!  i.ad  deelared  to, him  that  his 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


891 


,  Brussels. 


in.  19,  1858. 

sketch  of  the 
vermnent  of 
jr  to  subject 
untiy.  The 
itoiy  of  this 
nt  Work  by 
of  the  Mor- 

Smith,  born 
aron,  Wind- 
man,  from 
vice.     More 
every   way 
New  York, 
tified  under 
)f  no  moral 
Smith  eui- 
I'ctonded  to 
•ing  in   the 
■I  Christ  his 
im  that  hia 


sins  were  forgiven,  that  God  had  chosen  him  to  restore  his 
kingdom  on  earth,  and  propagate  anew  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel,  which  all  Christendom  had  lost.  In  1823,  Smith, 
forgetting  his  revelations  and  his  pretended  divine  mission, 
plunged  as  deep  as  ever  in  blasphemy,  fraud,  drunkenness, 
and  other  vices.  Then,  he  said,  an  angel  appeared  to  him 
and  revealed  the  existence  of  a  book,  written  on  gold  plates, 
and  containing  the  history  of  the  ancient  inhabitants  of 
America.  This  is  the  origin  of  the  "  Book  of  Mormon,"  or 
Golden  Bible,  the  Koran  of  these  Mahometans.  Tlie  next 
day  Smith  visited  the  spot  designated  by  the  angel  as  the 
spot  where  the  book  was.  This  was  on  the  slope  of  a  hill 
between  Palmyra  and  Manchester.  There  he  pretended  to 
find  in  fact  golden  plates  in  a  stone  box ;  but  this  time  his 
efforts  to  raise  them  were  vain.  There  was,  he  says,  a  great 
contest  between  the  devil  and  the  angels  as  to  it;  but  al- 
though the  devil  was  beaten,  the  angel  did  not  give  the  book 
to  Smith,  who  received  it  only  four  years  after,  on  the  22d 
of  September,  1827. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  is,  like  the  Koran,  a  tissue  of  con- 
tradictory plagiarisms  and  absurd  inventions.  The  whole  is 
interlarded  with  passages  from  the  Bible.  It  has  been  proved 
that  the  portion  given  as  historical  is  merely  a  plagiary  of  a 
romance  of  Solomon  Spalding,  whose  manuscript  had  been 
stolen  by  Smith.  Spalding  had  written,  under  the  title  of 
The  Discovered  Manuscript,  a  romance  on  the  origin  of  the 
American  Indians.  He  died  before  publishing  it.  After  hia 
death,  his  widovf  removed  to  New  York,  and  Smith  is  known 
have  worked  near  her  house.  Some  time  after  the  publica- 
tion of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  she  discovered  the  loss  of  her 
husband's  manuscript.  Many  of  Spalding's  relatives  and 
friends  detected  the  Discovered  Manuscript,  slightly  altered, 
in  Smith's  booL    Spalding  had  been  in  the  habit  of  reading 


it*! 


U 


i-M; 


Iti 


302 


WE8TEKN  MISSIONS 


long  p„,.,„g.,  from  1,«  „ovol ;  the  sing„l„rily  of  tl.c  fact., 
t  »t  ti,„y  ,,.,  not  forgH  it.  Now,  ,!,„  Jiook  of  Mom,„„  h„,l 
L.-  lie'  '"r'l""''"'  "'"  ™""  ""■""«»  •"""'■'•  «'»  -■ 
brother,  thu8  o.v,.ro,«„  hunself  on  the  ,.oi„t:  "Mv  brother'^ 
book  was  entitled  the  Dkeovere.l  Man,„c,ipt.  "it  w  „„ 
W,eal  novel  on  the  fi,.t   i„hal,i,a„t,   uf^,„    i,,     Z 

t;u  riom  the  Jews,  or  the  Intt  fpilioo      'i-i 
descrinlinn   „f  ,1  'ost  tubes,     iherc  was  a  .letailed 

aesenphon   of  the.r  voyage,  by   land  and  sea,  from  their 
eparturo  from  Jerusalen,  to  their  arrival  in  Amero    „„d 

almost  the  same  histor.eal  matters,  the  same  names   &c 
such  as  they  wore  in  my  brother's  writings."    M T'olh « 

mrZtl"  '"■''",??'-»"  «P"'<'-«  -"  -nd  who  for  ho 
most  part  knew  nothn,g  of  Joseph  Smith,  gave  similar  tes- 
timony  under  oath. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  probably  derives  its  name  from  one 
of  the  ehapter,  of  this  novel.  A  descendant  of  LeW  ol 
tamed  the  plates  of  gold,  brass,  Ac,  on  which  the  p  ophete 

r^^Xw   d  °  ''ir^  of  "■«  voyages  and  wars'of  ^i!:;^ 
race  and  this  descendant  was  called  M»rmm.     lie  abridged 
h,s  h,story,  and  gave  it  to  his  son,  Moroni.     The  latter  lav- 
.ng  added  a  sketch  of  the  history  of  Jared,  inclosed  all    n" 

Be  f  chosen  to  g,ve  this  wonderful  book  to  the  world,  p.etend- 
ed  to  have  received  the  gift  of  understanding  and  t,;L   t  'g 

Duimg  the  dictation,  he  w.is •  concealed  behind  a  enrfiin 
made  of  a  bed-quih,  for  the  plates  wore  so  sacred  tha  e  did 
»ot  even  permit  his  secretary  to  gaze  on  them.     To  give  a 


Hra- 


f  t!ic  facts, 
tnick  theiu 
formon  hml 
s,  the  same 
ho  author's 
fy  brother's 

It  was  an 
ieri(!a.  Its 
re  desoend- 

a  detailed 
from  their 
rioa,  under 
7  read  tho 
lave  found 
»»ncs,  &c., 
any  otlier 
fio  for  the 
milar  tes- 

from  one 
Lehi  ob- 
prophets 

s  of  tJieir 
abridged 

itter,  hav- 

1  all  in  a 

'•ing  him- 
pietend- 

ansjating 

ctated  it. 
curtain, 

at  lie  did 

•  give  a 


AND  MISSIONARIES.  893 

Still  higher  idea  of  his  golden  bible,  he  explaine<'.  the  title 

Tj::izTr  ■  ^"^'"'-^  ^^  ^'^^  ^'^^  --^^  ^^rTn 

hsh  word  more;  so  that  Mormon  means  £rUer/     Now  tho 

B.  ce  our  Lord  says  m  the  Gospel,  "  I  am  the  good  shepherd  " 
Ihe jnorant  and  fanatieal  believe  all  those  f!bles.     ' 

The  Book  of  Mormon,  although   most  known,  is  not  the 
chief  book  of  the  sect.     The  Book  of  Teackin.lTc^. 

t  nded  to  have  received  from  heaven,  is  regarded  by  his  disci 

tamed  m  a  httle  book  called  The  Pearl  of  Great  Price 
wots  o1  '"P  "  ^'  ''"'^^  ^^  ^  --  -P^^'t-  o^Iei 
in  Ins  infamous  immorality,  by  permitting  polygamy  To 
all  this,  h.  successor  has  added  abominable  doctrfneTon  the 
nature  and  attributes  of  God. 

Smith  organized  his  new  religion  in  1830.     He  could 

hen  number  only  six  disciples.     The  next  year,  hav  LoT 

tamed  new  adherents,  he  sent  elders,  two  by  two,  to  preal 

he  new  doctnne.     When  the  number  of  his  di  ciples  had 

sufficient  y  mcreased,  he  founded  a  colony  in  Misso        but 

tZTltZ  'T''  r  '''''''  ''  that'state-Zt  Iho 
a  dthentr^'n'r'"'  ''^  ^^--ons  had  first  settled, 
In  1834    t  e  V    "'~^'  "^^^  ^'^"^  ^^^  '^^  ^tate 
« Churct  of  T        T  "''  "'^P*^'  *^^  P^'^P-^  title  of 
the  Mot/  '^"irf  ^"^^  ^^  I^-tter-Day  Saints,"  and  thence 

tra!t°'fr!'  TIh"^  ^'"-  "^T  ^'"°^  '^^"^^^^'  ''^  ^^39,  a  large 
tract  m  Ilhoois,  m  a  beautiful  section  on  the  banks  of  the 


V; 

r\ 
li 


'4  !i 


:f 


I 


<:a 


■  i 

.^ 

-  i 

■ki... 

1  j 

f  i 

■ 

804 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


l<  ' 


|IP|: 

u  ...     -       "T^ 

A^  ,  &i  -■» 

Misflifisippi,  built  ;i  flomishing  city,  which  they  cnllod  JVau- 
voo,  erected  a  miigiiitiount  temple,  now  in  ruins,  and  lived 
there  till  184  4,  when  tiicy  rcmlcred  themselves  odious  to  the 
people  of  that  Stnte.  Tliey  were  attacked  by  an  ungovcsii- 
able  uiob,  and  the  talsc  proplict  and  his  brother,  Ilirani,  were 
massacred  in  prison,  at  Carthago. 

In  1845  these  persecutions  continued,  and  the  Mormons, 
driven  at  last  from  Nauvoo,  resolved,  in  council,  to  seek  a 
Bolitary  and  permanent  abode  in  some  fertile  valley  at  the 
foot  of  the  llocky  MouutaiiiR.  They  carried  out  this  project 
in  1847,  penetrated  into  the  desert  some  twelve  hundred 
miles,  and  founded  a  new  city  on  the  banks  of  the  Great 
Salt  Lake,  at  the  foot  of  a  lofty  chain  of  mountains  forming 
a  portion  of  the  eastern  limits  of  the  Great  Basin.  Brigham 
Young,  Smith's  successor  as  prophet  and  chief,  was  their 
leader  in  this  long  and  painful  march. 

The  valley  of  the  Great  Basin  is  about  five  hundred  miles 
long  from  north  to  south,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty  from 
east  to  west.  It  is  formed  by  the  Sierra  Madre  bounding  it 
on  the  east,  and  by  the  Goose  Creek  and  Humboldt  moun- 
tains on  the  west.  Utah  Territory,  thus  occupied  by  the 
Mormons,  contains  in  all  187,923  square  miles.  The  lake, 
■which  is  now  only  seventy  miles  long  and  thirty-five  wide, 
probably  filled,  at  a  remote  epoch,  the  whole  valley.  On  all 
sides,  on  the  slopes  of  the  mountains,  at  a  uniform  height, 
are  traces  which  water  alone  could  have  made.  In  1841,  I 
traversed  much  of  this  valley,  in  my  rambles  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains.  The  country  was  then  wooded  and  agreeable, 
watered  by  springs  and  streams,  winding  through  the  valley. 
Since  the  Mormon  emigration,  the  forests  have  disappeared 
on  the  slopes  of  the  hills  and  mountains,  and,  as  the  snows 
are  more  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun  and  melt  quicker, 
the  springs  dry  up,  and  the  streams  give  scarcely  water 


f 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


895 


cftllod  -ATa ti- 
ns, niul  lived 
odious  to  the 
an  ungovcBu- 
,  Iliinin,  were 

iho  Mormons, 
S\\,  to  sock  a 
valley  at  the 
t  this  project 
ilve  hundred 
of  the  Great 
ains  forming 
in.  Brigham 
ief,  was  their 

undred  miles 
nd  fifty  from 
3  bounding  it 
iboldt  moun- 
Lipied  by  the 
I.  The  lake, 
rty-five  wide, 
Hey.  On  all 
iform  height, 

In  1841,  I 
in  the  Rocky 
3d  agreeable, 
;h  the  valley. 

disappeared 
IS  the  snows 
nelt  quicker, 
arcely  wat^r 


enough  in  the  spring  to  irrigate  the  cultivated  fields  and  sup- 
ply  the  domestic  animals. 

Salt  Lake  City  containR,  at  present,  15,000  inhabitants. 
They  are  mostly  English,  Scotch,  and  Swedes.  Hardly  one 
fourth  of  the  Mormons  are  Americans  by  birth.  They  are 
Bcattored  up  and  down,  in  the  villages  and  towns  of  all 
the  plains  and  vall«yft  of  Utah,  so  called  from  an  Indian 
tribe  of  that  region.  The  Territory  is  bounded  on  the  north 
by  Oregon,  on  the  west  by  California,  on  the  east  by  tho 
Territories  of  Kansas  and  Nebraskji,  and  on  the  south  by 
New  Mexico.  The  total  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Territory  is  less  than  60,000,  although  the  Mormon  leaders, 
for  ends  of  their  own,  represent  it  as  much  higher.  The 
number  of  Mormons,  in  diflferent  countries,  is  estimated  at 
800,000.  They  send  their  emissaries  to  all  parts  of  tho 
globe.  These  take  good  care  not  to  present  Mormonisra  in  its 
*  true  colors,  to  those  who  are  not  as  yet  prepared  to  accept  it 
Buch  as  it  is.  Many  of  the  Mormons  at  Salt  Lake,  it  is  said, 
adopted  the  new  sect  otily  in  hopes  of  finding  there  au 
earthly  paradise,  with  unlimited  abundance  for  every  want. 
OitiQ  in  Utah,  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  escape  the  snares  and 
despotic  power  of  the  leader. 

Brigham  Young,  president  of  the  Mormon  church,  and 
now  rebellious  governor  of  Utah  Territory,  enjoys  absolute 
authority  over  his  people.  This  man  is,  like  Joseph  Smith, 
a  native  of  Vermont,  born  at  Whittingham,  June  1,  1801. 
Having  embraced  Mormonism  in  1832,  he  soon  became 
Smith's  intimate  friend.  Since  he  became  chief  of  the 
Mormons,  he  has  displayed  boundless  ambition,  and  talents 
far  superior  to  Smith's.  He  labors  to  establish  Mormonism 
all  over  the  American  continent.  As  to  the  Territory  which 
he  governs,  he  wishes  to  make  it  an  independent  State  in  the 
confederation.     He  has  often  declared  that  he  will  permit 


;i 


V] 


896 


WTMTTtRN   MTSSrONB. 


R.  ) 


BO  one  elae  to  ho  governor  of  Utah.  lie  defiod  the  nuthor- 
ity  of  tlie  ProHidcnf,  aiui  of  all  tliu  Union.  Tho  jiidgon  and 
othor  ofliiUMn  appointed  hy  the  gonrral  govi-rnnient  for  tlio 
civil  adn.iniHtration  of  Utah,  have  been  expelled  f.um  the 
territory,  after  seeing  it  unelesn  to  attempt  to  exercise  tlieir 
functions.     Vounjf  han  net  up  trihunalfl  of  ]m  own,  and 


in 


tho  United  StatCH  courlH  whit  h  he  toleraUMi  before  his  nd)el- 
lion,  the  juries  gave  verdietn  according  to  his  direction.  Tlie 
government,  at  last,  resolved  to  resort  even  to  force  to  make 
him  respect  its  authority.  Accordingly,  hist  fall  (1867),  n 
detachment  of  2500  men  was  sent  to  tho  Territory  to  main- 
tain tho  new  governor  and  his  suite. 

On  this,  Young  prepared  to  resist.      Tho  troops  have 
already  entered  Utah,  but  tho  severity  of  the  winter  arrests 
them  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  the  Mormou 
capital.    The  Mormons  arc  not  idle.     They  have  surprised  a 
train  of  seventy-six  wagons,  pillaged  and  burned  them,  car- 
rj'ing  off  all  the  animals,  horses,  mules,  and  oxen.     This  loss 
is  estimated  at  a  million  of  dollars.     The  troops,  ill  lodged 
and  ill  fed,  will  suffer  terribly  if  the  winter  is  severe,  bz  it  is 
usually  in  tho  elevated  parts  which  they  occupy.     As  soon 
as  the   spring   opens,   large   reinforcements  will   be   sent. 
There  is  a  great  diversity  of  opinion  hero  on  the  matter. 
Many  think  that  tho  war  will  bo  long  and  bloody,  and  that 
the  Mormons  will  resist  to  tho  death.     A  great  manifesta- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  government  will,  doubtless,  be  neces- 
sary;  and  I  think  that  as  tho  new  forces  approach  the  rebel 
territory,  the  Mormons  will  retire  after  setting  fire  to  tlieir 
towns,  and  march  to  occupy  some  new  district— Sonora,  i)er- 
haps,  or  some  other  thinly-settled  tract  in  the  vast  Mexican 
territory.     This  fanatical  sect  will  find  repose  only  outside 
of  all  othor  civil  jurisdiction.     It  will  master  and  subject  all, 
unless  it  is  mastered  and  expelled  in  season. 


%■■• 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


897 


he  Rtithor* 

til  lor  tliu 

from  tlio 

rcise  tlu'ir 

vn,  anW  in 

his  rttbc'l- 

tion.    Tlio 

c  to  tiiaku 

(1867),  ft 

f  to  main- 

>opfl  have 
cT  arrests 

Morinou 
iirpiiBcd  a 
;Iiom,  car- 

Tliis  lo8s 
ill  lodged 
re,  8^  it  is 

As  soon 

be  sent, 
e  matter. 

and  that 
nan'fcsta- 
be  neces- 
tho  rebel 

to  tlieir 
nora,  per- 

Mexican 
y  outside 
bject  all, 


One  more  word  on  the  Mormons  and  T  have  done.     A 
new  orj^anizHtion  has  been  ^iven  to  the  Nfortnon  troops.     In 
1H40,  Sniilh  orjratiized  the  Nuuvoo  Leginn,  and  conipeilfd 
all  hJH  dJHcipk'H  fn.m  the  ago  of  hixtecn  to  fit'ty  to  enter  it. 
TliJH  little  troop  has  continually  increawl,  and  preserves  its 
old  name.     No  etlbrt  is  spared  to  render  the  soldiers  perf.-et 
in   military  diseiplino  and  exercises.     They  have  at  their 
head  oftlccrs  who  served  under  (Jeneral  Scott  in  the  Mexican 
war.     Young's  whole  army  might,  in  case  of  necessity,  bo 
brought  up  to  8000  men.     This  number  would  not  bo  foi^ 
iiiidable,  were  they  not  all  animated  with  a  spirit  of  fanati- 
cism which  will  make  them  fight,  if  it  comes  to  that,  with 
an  obstituicy  like  that  of  the  first  Mahometans.     Besides  the 
community  of  religion  and  interest,  there  exists  among  them 
another  bond.     A  great  number  of  them  are  bound  to  tlio 
I'residont  and   Proi)het  Young  by  liorriblo  oaths.     Thero 
exists  among  this  people  a  society  called  the  Mormon  Y.i\- 
dowment,  into  which  members  arc  admitted  amid  ceremo- 
nies most  capable  of  inHi)iring  superstitious  terror.     The  ini- 
tiated  take  an  oath  of  blind  obedience,  as  understood  by  tho 
secret  societies  of  Europe.     The    penalty  of  death  awaiU 
Lim  who  violates  his  oath.     If  tho  Mormons  wish  war,  as 
they  so  loudly  proclaim,  they  will  have  a  chance  this  year, 
but  they  cannot  long  resist  the  troops  of  the  United  States. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  liov.  Father, 

Your  servant  in  Christ, 

V.  J.  Djs  Smet,  S.  J. 
84 


'!< 


it 
I 


m 


i?i 


ft' 


fi! 


du8 


WKfiTKUN    MIBfllONS 


Letter  XXXIV. 

T<»  TUB  Editoii  of  the  Piiftcis  IIihtoriquis,  Dkusbils. 
Mittiont  of  KentueJcy. 

Reverend  Father: 

I  inclose  n  copy  of  a  letter  to  my  nephew,  Charles  De 
Smut,  advocate  at  Antwerp. 


1 


Dear  Charles  : 

I  received  your  kind  letter  and  read  it  with  inexpressi- 
ble pleasure  and  great  consolution.  I  seize  my  first  leisure 
moments  to  satisfy  your  request  by  giving  you  some  ideas 
of  America,  and  of  Kentucky  where  I  now  am,  and  most  of 
which  I  have  seen. 

The  United  States  would  be  truly  the  wonder  of  the 
world,  if  the  moral  state  of  the  country  corresponded  to  the 
marvellous  development  of  its  material  resources,  to  its  ever- 
increasing  population,  its  immense  territory,  and  increasing 
commerce.  Hardly  seventy  years  plnce.  all  the  country  west 
of  the  Alleghany  mountains,  a  rei/i  r  now  so  thic'dy  set- 
tled, was  but  a  vast  wilderness,  t-  iV'ji.^od  i- ;i'e  and  tuere  by 
a  few  feeble  Indian  tribes,  decimated  by  war  and  pesti- 
lence. On  the  waters  of  those  rivers  which  irrigate  the 
whole  bosom  of  the  continent,  where  hundreds  of  One  large 
steamers  n  dash  along,  full  of  passe'ngers,  loaded  with 
jjoods,  nauguL  was  then  to  be  seen  but  the  solitary  canoe,  cut 


WM 


AND   MIMIOMAKIEA. 


899 


%  DuUSSKLf. 


r,  Charles  D« 


th  inexprcssN 
y  first  leisure 
u  some  iUeiis 
I,  and  most  of 

onder  of  the 

ioiuled  to  the 

is,  to  its  ever- 

id  iucreas'ng 

country  west 

)  thic'ily  set- 

iiid  there  by 

ir  and  pesti- 

irrigate  the 

of  fine  large 

loaded  with 

iry  canoe,  cut 


from  A  tree,  gliding  down  the  itream,  or  lalToriously  tUin- 
ininj?  it»  current  with  itn  little  bantl  of  In.lian  warriors,  with 
eagle  or  vulture  pluinn,  urined  with   bows  or  touialmwk*. 
Now,  along  thcH«  waters  rise,  m  if  by  unchantnu-nf,  hun- 
dn^li  of  oitit'H  and  towns.     On  every  Bido  cullivatoil  ft.ild*, 
fiuni-hoiiH..«,  and  well-Htorcd  barni*;  on  every  iido,  herd*  of 
catllo  and  horses,  browsing  on  the  hill-side  and  the  plain, 
once  covered   with   foro»U».     Uailroadn    and   macmlaniized 
roads  lead  to  nuinbcrlm  colonies  in  the  interior.     English, 
Iri«h,   German,   French,  emigrants   from    every   European 
liiition,  have  come  hither  in  hopes  of  finding  those  comforta 
whii'h  they  could  not  hope  in  their  own  densely-peopled  lands. 
It  might  bo  supposed  that  in  a  country  which  boasts  of 
unexampled  tolerance  and  liberty,  the  Catholic  Church  would 
be,  if  not  protected,  at  least  spared  from  porsocution.     But  it 
is  not  so.     A  party,  whose  only  principle  is  a  hostility  to  the 
Faith,  has  several   times  been  formed.      Now  it  flourishes 
under  the  name  of  Know-nothing,  and  it  might  be  termed, 
"  the  ignorant  and  brutal."     One  of  their  main  objects  is,  to 
annihilate,  if  possible,  our  holy  religion  in  the  United  States. 
It  is  a  secret  society,  the  members  of  whieh  are  bound  by  hor- 
rible oaths.     It  extends  its  branches  over  all  parts  of  the 
Union.     As  a  general  thing,  ministers  of  the  ditferont  Trot- 
estant  sects  belong  to  it.    Their  fury  has  already  been  marked 
by  the  destruction  of  Catholic  churches  in  several  parts;  by 
insults  to  priests  and  religious ;  by  laws  passed  in  several 
States  to  seize  or  control  the  Catholic  Church  property,  laws 
which  they  threaten  to  pass  wherever  they  attain  power. 

Kentucky,  of  which  I  have  promised  you  a  description, 
evinces  a  more  conservative  and  really  free  spirit  than  most 
of  the  other  SUvtes.  Its  material  prosperity,  fertile  soil, 
beautiful  sites,  natural  curiosities,  interesting  history,  make 
it  one  of  those  most  favored  by  nature. 


;« 


i 


'\'4 


t 


w 


400 


^^TJST^RN   MISSIONS 


m 

i 

H^Kj 

m 

■■■ii 

HE; 

w 

,'f;_. 

^^Hj 

The  name  £-entucki/,  given  to  the  country  by  the  Inrll.n, 

.0  tit  r:sr^:i  ^^  r  r- '-- 

dark  and  Mood!,  Jund     Th, !      *   '        "°""*  '"*"  "'« 

the  attack  of  the  savages  but  1^7'  ""'  "S»""«' 

b'-aveiy.    His  advent^™     ,    t  J     """''  <""''°««»-  ""d 

bur„i„,  and  pillagin^aH  tK;  Zdt  t' '"""'' 

The  lodia.3  have  beeretL:^:';  :  «',,rr 

plains  beyond  the  Missouri  '^  '"'"  ""« 

Meanwhile  Boone,  seeing  the  numbers  of  the  civilized  in- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


401 


the  Indians, 
9found,  and 
attle-field  of 

id  over  the 
83,  studded 
tly.    Every 
ho  country 
tribes  met : 
generation, 
ements. 
mie  seems 
1  into  the 
'st  planted 
lid  against 
Iness,  and 

during  a 
Jund  him 
y  formed 
les  apart, 

State  of 
>f  iuhab- 

posed  to 
ir  towns, 
sir  way. 
Is  of  the 
ch  once 
now  as 
Europe, 
nto  the 

ized  in- 


habitants  mcrea.sing  around  him,  soon  began  to  perceive  that 
he  country  was  too  full,  that  the  population  was  too  dense  • 
he  needed  a  now  wilderness,  a  freer  country.  He  accord- 
ingly rot„-ed  with  his  family  and  tlocks  of  domestic  animals 
.oyond  the  Mississippi,  in  a  remote  region,  where  white  set- 
t  era  bad  not  yet  penetrated.  Here  again  he  found  bimself 
slrugghng  alone  against  wild  and  uncultivated  nature;  ar^ainst 
«un.erous  hordes  of  sanguinary  warriors,  jealous  of  the  en- 
croachments  of  white  settlers. 

The  State  of  Kentucky  extends  on  the  nortli  along  the 
Ohio  over  five  hundred  miles;  it  is  separated  from  Missouri 
on  the  west  by  the  Mississippi,  and  terminates  on  the  east 
at  the  base  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  which  separate  it 
from  Vn-gm,a.     The   soil   produces   in   abundance  wheat 
maize,  tobacco,  hemp,  and  most  of  the  fruits  of  your  lati' 
tildes.     It  abounds  in  |,i.turesque  sites.     There  is  notliinjr 
more  agreeable  than  a  steamboat-trip  down  the  Ohio,  in  the 
Bpnng    along   its   banks,  now   frowning   with   rocks,    now 
Btretching  out  into  green  fields  of  grain,  with  now  wooded 
hil  s,  where  oaks  of  various  kinds,  poplar,  beech,  sycamore, 
^vild  vmcs  chestnut,  and  hickory,  meet,  mingle,  cross,  and 
interlace  then-  thick  branches,  presenting  the  grand  and  free 
aspect  of  unbroken  forests.     From  time  to  time,  amid  this 
noble  scenery,  which  won  for  the  Ohio  the  name  of  la  Belle 
Jiwzere,g\yen  to  it  by  the  early  French  explorers,  new  cities 
rise,  as  it  by  enchantment,  and  spread  before  you  all  the  fruits 
ot  the  active  civilization  of  the  most  commercial  cities  of 
Jiurope. 

The  eastern  part  of  Kentucky  and  the  banks  of  the  Ohio 
possess  nch  mines.  Immense  strata  of  white  stone,  fit  for 
building  or  making  lime,  are  found  some  feet  below  the  sur- 
tace,  m  almost  all  parts  of  the  north.  Near  Lexington,  the 
first  city  touuded  in  Kentucky,  mummies  were  discovered,  r8= 

340 


,1 


i 


jV 

it 

m 

■  1 

^^Bi; 

^^^^B    ' 

(  ■ 

I* 


i>l  I 


ifeKgqairiliaBi. 


•J      f 


403 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


seniblmg,  ,t  ,8  said,  those  of  Egypt.  North  of  tins  city,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Bhie  Lick,  great  quantities  of  bones  have 
been  found,  among  the  most  remarkable  being  those  of  the 
ancient  mastodon  or  mammoth,  an  enormous  animal  of  a 
species  now  extinct ;  of  the  elephant,  no  bnger  seen  in 
Amer,  a ;  and  of  a  kind  of  bison,  unknown  in  our  days. 

_  Near  our  college  of  St.  Joseph,  at  Bardstown,  which  I 
visited  last  April,  the  surface  of  the  soil  is  covered  with  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  petrifactions.  There  are  found  in  that  local- 
ity, in  abundance,  trilobites.  terebratula,  spirifer,  etc.  (I  use 
the  American  geological  names),  as  well  as  many  others. 
Limestone  is  very  abundant;  it  belongs  generally  to  the  class 
known  in  geology  as  the  inferior  calcareous  of  the  second 
formation.  It  is  intermingled  with  a  great  quantity  of  fer- 
ruginous particles,  and  the  strata  are  so  thick  and  colossal 
tliat  they  suffice  in  building  whole  cities. . 

At  about  sixty-six  miles  south  of  the  college  is  the  famous 
cavern,  called,  from  its  enormous  dimensions.  Mammoth  Cave 
It  attracts  thousands  of  visitors,  who  come  from  all  parts  of 
the  United  States  to  witness  its  wonders.     It  is,  undoubted- 
ly, one  of  the  most  extraordinary  curiosities  in  the  world  or 
rather,  in  the  whole  subterranean  world,  with  its  mountains 
Its  precipices,  its  rivers,  its  rugged  banks,  its  enormous  domes 
Jhich  seem  like  temples  built  by  the  hands  of  nature,  and 
defying  art  to  equal  the  boldness  of  its  high  and  immense 
vaults,  suspended  without  columns.     The  cavern  has  many 
galleries,  or  alleys,  like  the  catacombs  of  Rome.     Nobody 
would  dare  venture  in  without  a  guide  ;  he  would  probably 
never  find  the  entrance,  on  account  of  the  countless  wind- 
ings ot  this  natural  labyrinth. 

A  remarkable  evenness  of  temperature  prevails  in  this 
cavern ;  the  cold  of  winter  scarcely  penetrates  it,  and  the 
heat  of  summer  leaves  a  mild  and  moderate  atmosphere. 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


403 


f  tliis  city,  on 
>f  bones  have 
'  those  of  the 

animal,  of  a 
nger  seen  in 
our  days. 
)wn,  which  I 
ered  with  dif- 
in  that  local- 
3r,  etc.  (I  use 
many  others. 
y  to  the  class 
•f  the  second 
antity  of  fer- 

and  colossal 

s  the  famous 
mmoth  Cave, 
n  all  parts  of 
,  undoubted- 
the  world,  or 
s  mountains, 
mous  domes, 

nature,  and 
nd  immense 
a  has  many 
e.  Nobody 
lid  probably 
ntless  wind- 
falls in  this 

it,  and  the 
itraosphere. 


To  descend  to  it,  you  enter  a  chamber  as  sombre  as  the  Tar- 
tarus of  Virgil.     No  ray  of  sunlight  enters  it.     Each  bears 
a  torch.    This  pale  light  adds  to  the  sublimity  of  the  place 
especially  when  you  find  a  chamber  incrusted  with  stalac- 
tites.    There  the  reflection  of  the  torches  seems  to  chan<re 
the  vaults  and  sides  of  the  cavern  into  a  continuous  mass  "of 
precious  stones.     The  principal  gallery,  which  is  ordinarily 
loUowed,  leads  to  a  distance  of  eleven  miles  under  ground. 
Sometimes  it  expands,  like  the  corridor  of  a  palace  ;  some- 
times  the  vault  descends,  so  that  you  have  to  creep  along, 
and  It  even  forms  a  narrow  passage,  called  "  The  fat-man's' 
misery  ;»  elsewhere  the  passage  expands  into  immense  halls, 
with  a  vaulted  roof  three  hundred  feet  high ;  then  soon, 
stopping  before  a  mountain  of  broken  rock,  or  opening  a 
precipice,  it  plunges  into  new  depths,  threatening  to  take  you 
to  the  very  centre  of  the  earth.     In  these  great  halls,  nature 
seems  to  have  assumed,  for  their  embellishment,  the  most  fan- 
tastic  forms,  resembling  objects  of  art,  fields,  vines,  trees,  stat- 
ues, pillars,  altars,  forming    as   many  otalactite  sculptures 
produced  by  the  action  of  water,  which,  filtering  for  long 
centuries  through  the  rocks,  has  formed  all  these  marvellous 
works.     While  traversing  the  great  gallery,  you  pass,  at  two 
different  times,  a  deep  and  rapid  river  which  flows  in  these 
parts  ;  its  source  a.id  mouth  are  both  unknown.     It  contains 
white-fish  and  crabs,  varieties  of  which  are  found  in  almost 
all  our  rivers,  but  which  are  here  entirely  destitute  of  eyes, 
and  evidently  created  to  live  only  in  this  subterranean  river! 
There  is  one  place  where  you  have  to  row  ten  minutes  before 
reaching  the  opposite  shore,  because  the  river  follows  the  • 
course  of  the  gallery  and  makes  it  its  bed.     There  is  at  this  ' 
point  a  beautiful  vault,  perfectly  arranged  for  prolonrrincr  and 
redoubling   an  echo.     The  Magnificat,    chanted    by  a  few 
voices,  had  an  effect  which  the  most  numerous  choir  and  all 


■  %  i 


I  ]  tt 


i  ; 


'  < 


4'^ 


W  i 


i  ■ '  ^ 


404 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


1' 

J' 
l' 


'\h 


m 

liiiil; 


the  music  of  a  cathedral  could  not  produce,  so  much  does 
the  echo  augment  the  volume  and  sweeten  the  harmony  of 
8ound8.  Ihe  sublin,e  silence  of  this  spot,  the  torches  reflected 
m  the  subterranean  waters,  the  measured  beat  of  the  oars, 
the  Idea  of  a  world  suspended  over  your  head,  and  so  diff-er- 
ent  from  that  where  you  are,  all  produce  an  indescribable 
impression  on  the  soul. 

Returning  to  the  entrance  of  the  cavern,  you  experience 
in  summer  an  effect  like  that  caused  by  a  sea-voyJo  when 
you  near  the  port;  although  you  have  been  under  ground 
only  a  part  of  a  single  day,  you  discern  the  odor  of  the 
plants  and  the  flowers  at  a  distance.  The  impressions  pro- 
duced  by  these  subterranean  wonders  are  so  profound,  that 
he  sight  of  the  verdure  of  the  fields,  the  brilliant  rays  of 
the  sun,  the  varied  plumnge  of  the  birds  warbling  in  the 
trees,  impress  you  with  the  idea  that  you  are  entering  a  new 

Let  us  return  to  St.  Joseph's  college.    Bardstown,  where 
It  IS  situated,  was  the  first  Episcopal  See  erected  west  of  the 
Alleghany  mountains.      Thence    Bishop  Flaget,  the    first 
bishop  governed  his  immense  diocese  with  so  holy  a  zeal 
Now  that  the  see  is  transferred  to  Louisville,  the  cathedral 
of  Bardstown  is  attached  to  the  college,  and  has  become  a 
parish  church.     The  college  has  about  two  hundred  pupils, 
mostly   boarders.      Bishop   Flaget,   before   his   death,   had 
placed   It   under  the   direction   of  the   Society   of  Jesus. 
Bardstown  is  a  kind  of  centre  of  religious  houses.    On  one 
side  you  have  the  Dominican  Fathers,  at  the  convent  of  St. 
Bose,  near   Springfield  ;  on  the  other,  the  Trappists,  who 
have  been   for  some  years  at  New  Haven.     There  are  also 
several    establishments   of  nuns,   Lorettines   and   Sisters  of 
Charity. 

The  city  forms  about  the  centre  of  the  district,  in  which 


so  much  does 
10  harmony  of 
•ches  reflected 
at  of  the  oars, 
and  so  differ- 
iudescribable 

)u  experience 
voyage  when 
mdcr  ground 
odor  of  the 
>ressions  pro- 
profound,  that 
lliaut  rays  of 
'bling  in  the 
tering  a  new 

stown,  where 
west  of  the 
et,  the    first 
holy  a  zeal, 
he  cathedral 
IS  become  a 
dred  pupils, 
death,   had 
J   of  Jesus. 
!s.     On  one 
avent  of  St. 
ppists,  who 
?re  are  also 
Sisters  of 

',  in  which 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


405 


reside  the  vast  majority  of  the  Catholics  in  the  diocese  of 
Louisville.     They  number  about  70,000. 

It  was  also  in  this  neighborhood  that,  early  in  this  century, 
the  very  Rov.  Mr.  Nerinckx,  a  Belgian,  distinguished  him- 
self by  his  apostolic  labors,  and  left  among  the  people  the 
impress  of  his  zeal  and  virtues.  He  founded,  in  1812,  the 
congregation  of  sisters  known  hero  under  the  name  of  Sis- 
ters  of  Loretto,  or  Lorettines.  It  has  already  spread  over 
different  part^  of  the  States  of  Kentucky  and  Missouri,  Kan- 
sas  Territory,  among  the  Osage  Indians,  and  to  New  Mexico 

I  must  close.  Time  presses.  I  have  only  a  few  moments 
to  start  for  Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  Farewell.  Do  not 
forget  me,  dear  Charles. 

Your  devoted  uncle, 

P.  J.  Dk  Smet,  8.  J. 


C 


i    t 


■}\: 


1 

406 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


:s'!     i 


Letter  mV. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Pufecis  IIistoriquks,  Brussels. 

The  Urmlines  of  America. 

Addressed  to  the  Rev.  Mother  Snporlors  of  Saventhem  and  Theldonck. 

Brussels,  March  21,  1867. 
My  dear  Reverend  Mother  : 

On  tlie  point  of  quitting  Belgium,  I  repass  in  my 
memory  the  benefits  which  I  have  received  there,  and  in 
particuhir  the  reception  given  me  in  the  various  religious 
communities. 

Among  these  asylums  of  piety  and  virtue,  your  academy 
holds  a  very  high  rank.  As  in  America,  so  in  my  own  land, 
I  have  been  able  to  see  genuine  proofs  of  the  religious  spirit 
which  animates  the  Ursulines,  and  the  great  good  which 
they  do,  and  which  they  are  yet  called  upon  to  perform,  by 
the  fervor  of  their  prayers  and  by  the  education  of  youth. 

I  congratulate  all  your  community,  Reverend  Mother,  be- 
cause this  spirit  proves  that  God  has  founded  this  house  and 
designs  to  sustain  ft.  I  felicitate  myself,  because  I  found 
there  consoling  subjects  of  edification,  and  beautiful  exam- 
ples to  narrate  to  my  poor  Indians.  I  congratulate  Belgium, 
where  the  new  Ursulines  continue  so  generously  the  work  of 
their  pious  predecessors,  to  whom  so  many  mothers  are  in- 
habted  for  the  sentiments  of  piety  which  animate  them.    I 


k\ 


AKD  MISSIONARIES. 


40T 


UES,  Brussels. 


rejoice  with  the  Church,  whose  nfflicted  heart  the  danghters 
of  St.  Angola  console,  by  rendering  themselves  so  worthy  of 
the  religious  state— one  of  the  most  sparklinir  gon,s  which 
aclorn  the  brow  of  the  spouse  of  Christ.  Continue  then, 
pious  souls,  to  walk  in  the  footsteps  of  your  Saviour.  It  it 
the  sole  way  in  which  real  happiness  is  found. 

I  just  alluded,  Kev.  Mother,  to  the  Ursulines  of  America. 
I  spoke  of  them  to  your  beloved  pupils  in  my  visit  witt 
Father  Terwecoren.  Nevertheless,  it  may  prove  agreeable  to 
you  to  have  some  more  precise  information.  I  need  scarcely 
say  that  I  have  no  pretension  to  a  complete  notice.  I  must 
content  myself  with  giving  a  summary  idea  of  their  actual 
condition  and  prospects. 

The  Ursulines  were  the  first  religious  who  established 
themselves  in  the  northern  parts  of  North  America.  Before 
the  close  of  the  I7th  century,  there  were  in  Canada  six 
communities  of  women,  among  whom  two  were  of  the  Ursu. 
line  order:  the  House  of  Quebec,  founded  in  1639,  and  that 
of  Three  Rivers,  founded  in  1697. 

In  the  States  of  the  American  Union,  New  Orieans,  capi- 
tal of  Louisiana,  was  the  first  of  all  the  cities  of  the  confed- 
eracy which  obtained  a  community  of  Ursulines.  This  con- 
vent was  founded  in  1 727.  At  the  period  of  this  foundation 
Louisiana  belonged  to  France.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  Mr. 
De  Courcy,  in  his  remarkable  sketches  of  the  Catholic 
Church  in  the  United  States,  observes  that  till  1790  the  Uni- 
ted States  did  not  know  what  a  nun  is. 

In  1730,  the  community  of  New  Orieans  numbered  seven 
Ursulines.  Devoted  to  education  and  charitable  works,  they 
directed  a  school,  an  hospital,  and  an  orphanage.  The  num- 
ber of  their  orphans  increased  greatly  at  the  time  of  the 
massacre  by  the  Natch.ez,  which  occurred  that  year.  The 
French  expedition  delivered  from  slavery  many  fatheriess 


' ,  t 


I 


Pt) 


408 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


LI  ' 


'i' 


I    I 


children,  and  tmiisported  tliem  to  New  Orleans.*     "Tliese 
liltlo  girls,"  writes  Fatlu-r  Le  Tetit  on  tlio  llitli  July,  l730,f 
"that  none  of  the  citizens  would  adopt,  have  only  aug- 
mented the  cUiirity  and  attention  of  the  Ursuliues.    They 
liave  givou  them  a  separate  hall,  and  two  private  mistresses. 
There  is  not  one  of  this  holy  community  who  is  not  de- 
lighted at  having  braved  tlio  dangers  of  the  sen,  were  she  to 
do  naught  else  than  i)reserve  these  children  in  innocence, 
and  bestow  a  polite  and  Christian  education  on  the  young 
French  girls,  who  are  in  danger  of  being  not  much  better 
educated  than  their  slaves.     Wo  trust  that  these  holy  nuns 
will  shortly  occupy  the  now  house  destined  to  their  use,  and 
after  which  they  so  long  sigh.     Once  settled  in  it,  to  the 
instruction  of  boarders,  ori)hans,  day-scholars,  and  negresses, 
they  will  also  add  the  care  of  ttio  sick  in  the  hospital,  and 
that  of  a  house  of  refuge  for  women  of  doubtful  virtue. 
Perhaps  even,  in  time,  they  may  be  able  to  receive  regu- 
larly every  year,  a  number  of  ladies  to  make  a  spiritual 
retreat,  according  to  the  inclination  with  which  wo  have 
inspired  them. 

"In  France,  so  many  works  of  charity  and  zeal  would 
occupy  several  communities  and  several  different  institutes. 
But  what  cannot  faith  accomplish  ?  These  different  labors 
do  not  astonish  seven  Ursuliues,  and  they  intend  to  accom- 
plish them,  with  God's  grace,  and  not  permit  the  religious 
rule  to  suffer.  Those  who,  before  being  acquainted  with 
them,  thought  that  they  came  too  soon,  and  in  too  great 
number,  have  greatly  changed  their  sentiments  and  lan- 
guage.    Once  they  witnessed  their  edifying  conduct  and  the 


*  The  reader  will  find  some  account  of  this  in  Bishop  Spaulding's 
Life  of  Bishop  Flnget. 
t  "LettresEdiflttntes." 


^I 


,1     I 


ms*  "Tliew 
i  July,  lV30,f 
ivo  only  aug- 
luliuoH.  They 
uto  niistresHos. 
lio  is  not  dc- 
n,  were  she  to 
iu  innocence, 
on  the  young 

much  better 
ese  holy  nuns 
their  use,  nnd 

in  it,  to  the 
and  negresses, 

hospital,  and 
ubtful  virtue, 
receive  regu- 
0  a  spiritual 
licU  we  have 

d  zeal  would 
3nt  institutes, 
tierent  labors 
id  to  accom- 
the  religious 
uainted  with 
in  too  great 
nts  and  lan- 
iduct  and  the 

op  Spaulding's 


fc..i 


AUD  MISSION  A  BIBS. 


409 


prroat  services  that  they  render  to  the  colony,  they  found 
that  they  c/^ne  too  late,  and  that  too  many  could  not  coma 
it  they  possessed  equal  piety  and  merit." 

The  following  will  show  what  took  place  at  the  conclusion 
of  a  peace  that  terminated  a  n.elancholy  war.*     "The  Illi- 
nois had  no  other  hou«e  but  ours,  during  the  three  weeks 
that  they  remained  in  this  city.     They  charmed  us  by  their  * 
p.ety  and  by  their  edifying  life.     Every  evening  they  recited 
the  rosary  in  alternate  choirs,  and  heard  mass  every  morn- 
ing, during  which,  particularly  on    Sundays  and  festivals, 
tiiey  sung  different  hymns  of  the  Church  conformably  to  the 
various  offices  of  the  day.     At  the  end  of  the  mass  they 
never  faded  to  sing,  with  all  their  heart,  the  prayer  for  the 
king.     The  nuns  sang  the  first  Latin  couplot  iu  the  usual 
Gregorian  notes,  and  the  Illinois  continued  the  rest  in  the 
same  tone.     This  spectacle,  which  was  new,  attracted  many 
to  the  church,  and  inspired  a  tender  devotion.     In  the  course 
of  the  day,  and  after  supper,  they  often  sang  alone  or  aU 
together  ddferent  prayers  of  the  Church,  such  as  the  Dies 
trw,  the  Vcxilla  Reyis,  the  Stabat  Mater.     It  was  easy  to 
perceive  that  they  relished  singing  these  devout  hymns  more 
than  the  generality  of  Indians,  and  even  more  than  many 
l^rench  their  frivolous  and  often  dissolute  songs. 

"You  would  be  astonished,  as  I  was  myself,  on  arriving 
at  this  mission,  to  see  that  numbers  of  our  French  people 
are  not  nearly  as  well  instructed  as  are  these  neophytes, 
lliey  are  not  ignorant  of  any  of  the  narratives  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament.  They  have  excellent  methoda  of  hear- 
ing holy  mass,  and  of  receiving  the  sacraments.  Their  cat- 
echism, with  its  literal  translation  by  Father  Le  Boulano-er  ia 
a  perfect  model  for  those  who  have  need  of  ono  in  new  nlis- 


•  "Lsttres  Edmftntes."   (Amcriquo.)   Pwia;  1781.   Tom.  vii.  p.  61. 

85 


no 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


I'i 


!     i 


J 

IB-- 
If? 


•ions.  TI1C86  good  IiuIiftiiH  Imvo  been  loft  in  ignornnco  of 
no  mystery  or  duty.  WImt  in  fundamontrtl  and  enrnMitiid  in 
religion,  Iihh  been  explained  in  a  way  equally  instructive  and 
solid. 

"The  first  day  that  the  Tilrnois  saw  the  Ursulinos,  Maman- 
touensa  ((diief  of  tlio  Kiwlcjiaicias)  perceiving  around  them  a 
troop  of  little  girln,  said :  *  I  sue  that  you  arc  not  religious 
wiiliout  an  object.' 

*'lIo  meant  that  they  were  not  solitaries  who  labored 
solely  for  their  own  perfection.  'You  are,'  added  he,  Mike 
the  Black-gowns,  our  fathers ;  you  labor  for  the  good  of  oth- 
ers. Ah  I  if  we  had  np  there  two  or  three  of  you,  our  wives 
and  daughters  would  have  more  sense,  and  bo  better  Chris- 
tians.' 'Well,'  said  the  Mother  Superior,  'select  those  you 
would  like.'  'It  is  not  fur  mo  to  choose,*  answered  Manian- 
toueusa,  *  but  for  you  who  arc  ac(pi;untcd  with  thorn  ;  tho 
choice  should  fall  on  thos'.  who  are  most  generous,  and  who 
love  God  the  most!'  Imagine  how  delighted  those  good 
nuns  were,  to  hear  from  savage  lips  sentiments  so  reasonable 
and  Christian."* 

Such  were  the  commencements  of  tho  pious  Ursuline 
Community  of  New  Orleans.  To  these  details,  I  will  add  a 
few  others,  concerning  the  state  of  the  convents  of  your  or- 
der in  1855.  In  that  year  the  house  in  Now  Orleans  num- 
bered fifty-two  professed  religious,  three  novices,  and  three 
postulants.  The  academy  had  one  hundred  and  thirty  board- 
ers, and  twelve  half-boarders.  In  the  vicariate  of  Upper 
Michigan,  at  Sault  St.  Marie,  the  Ursnlines  have  a  school  for 
girls,  and  they  were  making  preparations  to  establish  a 
boarding-school  destined  to  tho  education  of  girls  whose  so- 


*  "Lettros  Edifluntea."     (Meinoirea  d'Americjuo.)    Paris  Edition, 
1781,    Tom.  vii,  p.  «1. 


ii    I 


AND   MISSION  A  RIKS. 


411 


1  ignoranco  of 
id  uHiifMiti.'il  in 
nstructivo  and 

iIino«,  MntTiAn- 

iround  tlutin  a 

not  religious 

wlio  labored 
Med  he,  'like 
0  good  of  otli- 
yon,  our  wives 

better  Cliris- 
„'ct  those  }ou 
a'red  Mainuii- 
h  thorn ;  the 
ous,  and  vho 
il  those  good 
80  reasonable 

ous  Ursuline 
1,  I  will  add  a 
ts  of  your  or- 
Orlcans  num- 
2S,  and  tlireo 
thirty  board- 
ite  of  Upper 
B  a  school  for 
)  establish  a 
iris  whose  so- 

rari3  Edition, 


cIrI  position  exacts  a  nmre  nni.>»hod  and  a  higlier  cour«o  of 

Htiidios. 

In  the  (liocpso  of  Cincinnnfl,  at  St.  Martin,  near  Faytte- 
vilh',  in  Ohio,  flic  coniniunity  of  Ursulineft  con.ti^ttnl  of  thirty- 
thivc  proC'^ssed  nuns,  nine  nuvi.rs,  and  foiu-  pontulants.  The 
boarding-school  which  tl..,y  direct.  niiud)er8  sixty  pupils. 

In  the  satno  State,  at  Clevtdand,  tlie  cuuMnunity  at  the 
same  epoch  w/is  composed  of  fourteen  profes-sed  religious,  ten 
novices,  and  four  postulants.  They  diruct  a  boartling-school. 
This  establislnuent  is  situated  in  the  most  agreeable  and 
healthy  portion  of  the  city.  Young  ladies  are  there  taught 
the  conunon  branches,  and  the  most  elevated  of  a  select 
course  of  tuition.  Hoarders,  day-boarders,  and  day-scliolars, 
are  admitted.  Near  Cleveland,  four  sisters  direct  an  elo- 
mentary  select  school  and  two  parish  schools. 

At  Toledo,  two  of  the  religious  are  charged  with  three 
elementary  select  schools  and  two  free  schools.     At  Morrisa- 
nia,  near  New  York,  they  have  n  convent  and  a  boarding- 
school.     In  the  diocese  of  Galveston,  in  Texas,  the  Ursuliues 
munbered,  in  1855,  fifteen  professed  religious;  their  board- 
ing-scl.ool  counted  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  pupils.     Afc 
San  Antonio,  there  were  fourteen  professed,  three  novices, 
and  four  postulants.     The  number  of  pupils  varied  from  one 
hundred  and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  sixty.    In  the  diocese 
and  city  of  St.  Louis,  where  I  have  most  generally  resided 
since  my  departure  from  Europe,  the  convent  of  Ursulines 
is  composed  of  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  religious,  who  di- 
rect a  school  of  forty  or  fifty  young  ladies.     In  separate 
buikhngs  they  have  a  day-school,  numbering  from  one  to 
two  hundred. 

When  retiecting  upon  all  these  benefits  of  our  holy  reli- 
gion, spread  with  a  liberal  hand  over  America,  we  owe  a 
vesjmony  o.  gratitude  to  the  vciiurable  Bishop  Carroll,  who 


412 


Wl-^IKUN    MlHSlONS 


I  ill 


contributed  to  e»»tublinl»,  or  proj^ftre,  tho  jiioiu  Itmtilutioni  to 
ysUkU  in  iiitiiiiatciy  cutuiuclud  tliu  nuU-buiiig  uiid  hujipiiiuM 

Ut'  litUHO   CUUIlll'il'H. 

"At  tliu  luuriitiit  when  tlio  Sociot)'  of  Jcmw  wu«  niipincwcd 
by  Ciuiiiurit  XIV.,  hoiuu  JfHuitH  tuiHouk  (jruut  Htiiuiii,  to 
witlidruw  into  Nuith  Aiuciicu,  their  coiintfy.  John  Curroll 
cunduclod  thiiin.  iJuiiiid  to  the  iii»litutu  by  the  prufc»'*iou 
ut'  tour  vowH,  Curioli  wim  not  long  in  winning  thu  cHtt'cia  ut' 
tiiut  iniiuortiil  gunuialion  which  wuh  niluntly  jti'^xuing  the 
ontVunoiiincuiunt  of  lliu  country.  llu  wtiM  tiiu  friend  of 
Wubhington  and  Franklin,  the  counsellor  of  that  Carroll,  his 
reluiii*n,  who  contributt^d  in  ho  clhcacioiiH  a  manner  lo  tho 
CoUBtiluiiou  of  tho  United  Stuti-'M.  'I'ho  forethought  and  tho 
knowledge  of  the  Jesuit  were  aitpreciutcd  by  the  founders  of 
American  liberty.  Attached  to  the  I'roteBianl  worwhij),  they 
wero  about  to  consecrate  its  triumph  by  law ;  but  Catho- 
licity ui»[iearcd  to  them,  in  tho  Fathers  of  tho  Society,  »o 
tolerant,  and  so  pruper  for  tho  civilization  of  the  savages,  that 
they  could  not  to  John  Carroll  refuse  to  secure  the  i)rinciple 
of  religious  independence.  Carroll  was  admitted  to  uiscusa 
tho  bases  with  theiM  :  ho  laid  them  so  well,  that  the  liberty 
of  Worship  has  never  been  violated  in  tho  United  States. 
Tho  Americans  had  i>ledged  themselves  to  sustain  them : 
they  never  believed  themselves  authorized  to  betray  their 
solemn  promise  even  by  tho  progress  that  the  missionaries 
elicited  in  the  lloman  Faith.  When  tho  Union  was  consol- 
idated. Pope  I'ins  VI.,  in  1789,  gave  a  guide  to  all  those 
faithful  dispersed  in  tho  cities  and  forests.  John  Curroll  re- 
ceived lirst  the  title  of  Bishop  of  Baltimore  ;  later  he  became 
archbishop  and  metri>politan  of  the  other  dioceses,  and  apostol- 
ical legate,  with  another  Jesuit,  Leonard  Neale,  as  coadjutor."* 

•  *'iIlatory  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,"  by  J.  Cr4tsne,'WJ  Joly,  t.  vi.  p.  276, 


inntitut'ioni  to 

lit  Ihiuiiii,  to 
Jultn  Currull 

tllO  CHtCt'lll  of 

|ii('Ituriiig  tho 
tho  Criciiil  of 
lil  Currull,  his 
iiuiiiiur  U)  tliu 
jiiglit  and  tlio 
lio  luumlurH  ot* 
woi>lii|»,  they 
;  but  Catlio- 
lio  Suciuty,  so 
i  suvtiguH,  that 
)  thti  priiiciplo 
led  to  uitiCUHS 
at  tho  liberty 
juittid  States. 
Bustain  them : 
)  betray  their 
e  niissiunariea 
II  was  consol- 
i  to  all  those 
hn  Carroll  re- 
nter ho  became 
!s,  and  apostoi- 
is  coadjutor."* 


AND   MI(iHI0NAKIf!3i. 


418 


From  this  epoc)»  UatM,  for  all  N„rth  Atwrkn,  tho  «.pon. 
ing  ..fa  n.,w  «,«.  ni„h.,p  Carroll  took  the  ii,iii«tory  «(..p  i„ 
•  b'.'i.eral  revival  of  r.-iigion.  Ho  had  ha.l  no  models;  h« 
will  have  u  tiiiillitiid<>  of  jinitatois. 

"After  providing,  by  the  loiitidation  of  a  collego  and  a 
•eininary,  tor  tho  eduiaiinn  <»f  youth  and  the  nrruiting  of 
thti  clergy,  the  liinhop  <,(  iJuliimoro  owuph-d  hiin^df  with 
introiliieing  into  Maryland  religious  conuiiunities  of  teiiiales, 
who  woul.l  aid  in  educating  the  young,  in  relieving  the  sick 
•nd  nee<ly,  and  adopting  orphans.  TIm'ho  good  work8  have 
ever  been  the  patrimony  of  the  Chuivh,  an.l  a  Chrihtian 
community  mu.^t  be  considered  ephemeral,  an  long  as  it  has 
Hot  laid  the  fuundatioti-stones  of  convents  for  the  i)ractico  of 
prayer  and  charity."* 

From  that  time,  Jiow  many  works  of  salvation  have 
•prung  up  on  tho  soil  of  America !  how  many  astonishing 
traits  hiivo  betokened  tho  finger  of  a  benign  Trovidenco  I 

Here  is  one,  lieverend  Mother,  that  is  very  interesting. 
T  told  it,  I  beli.-ve,  to  the  Ursuline  nuns  and  pupils  of  Sa- 
von them  and  Theldonck,  but  having  since  read  it  again  in 
the  remarkable  work  of  Mr.  Henry  do  Courcy,  "The  Catho- 
lic Church  in  the  United  States,"  as  translated  and  augment- 
ed by  Mr.  John  Gilmary  Shea,  I  can  write  with  more  preci- 
sion. 

In  1807,  Daniel  Barber,  a  congregational  minister  of  New 
England,  had  baptized  in  his  sect  Miss  Allen,  daughter  of 
tho  celebrated  American  general,  Ethan  Allen,  so  famous  in 
his  native  State,  Vermont.  This  young  lady  was  then 
twenty-two. 

Soon  after  she  went  to  Montreal  and  entered  the  academy 


*  II.  do  Courcy,  "Cutholio  Church  in  tho  Uuitod  States,"  p.  7 
ia  "  Aiui  de  la  Kvligiou,"  lSu5,  u.  5372. 


6;  and 


u» 


oo' 


414 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


fit 


i^^L^i^^ 


of  the  Sisters  of  tlio  Congrcgutiou.  Miss  Alien  spontaneously 
cnihniood  the  CuthoHo  religion,  and  wishing  to  niaku  tho 
supoiiKitural  sacrilicc  of  iiei'  wiiole  being,  she  consecrated 
herself  to  the  things  of  Heaven  in  the  coinuninity  of  Hospital 
Sisters  of  the  Hutcl-Dieii,  whero  she  died  piuusly  in  1819, 
after  having  by  th  "  eJilieation  of  her  last  moments  converted 
to  tho  Catholic  failh  tlio  Trotestant  physician  who  attended 
her. 

The  conversion  of  Miss  Allen  produced  other  fruits  of 
grace  among  her  coreligionists.  Her  former  pastor,  Mr, 
Barber,  became  an  Episcopalian,  but  did  not  stop  there  in 
his  palh  to  truth  ;  in  181G  he  abjured  the  e'vors  of  the  pre- 
tended Reformation.  The  son  of  this  converted  minister, 
Virgil  liarber,  born  in  1782,  was,  like  his  fatlicr,  a  Protestant 
minister.  He  too,  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  being  recon- 
ciled to  tho  Church  of  Home,  entered  it  with  liis  father. 
Mrs.  Virgil  Barber  followed  these  examples.  Tliese  two 
spouses  having  become  Catholics,  did  more.  With  mutual 
consent  they  resolved  to  leave  all  and  separate  for  tho  ser- 
vice of  God.  In  this  pious  view,  Mr.  Virgil  Barber  went  to 
Home  in  181 V,  to  obtain  of  the  Supreme  Pontifl'  the  neces- 
sary permission.  He  embraced  the  ecclesiastical  state,  and 
was  ordained  in  the  eternal  city.  After  remaining  two  years 
in  Europe,  he  returned,  bringing  the  authorization  for  his 
wife  to  enter  religion.  She  joined  the  Visitation  order  at 
Georgetown,  and  for  two  years  performed  tho  duties  of  the 
novitiate.- 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Barber  had  five  children,  four  daugliters 
and  one  son.  Tiie  last  studied  at  the  Jesuit  colleire  at 
Georgetown ;  the  daughters  at  the  Academy  of  the  Visita- 
tion, but  without  kii  )wi!ig  th;it.  their  mother  was  a  novice 
in  the  same  convent.. 

After  hei'  uuvltiat.',  the  five  ehil.lreii   were  taken  to  the 


spontaneously 
to  niaku  tho 
c  consecrated 
ty  of  Hospital 
msly  in  1819, 
(nts  converted 
who  attended 

ther  fruits  of 
V  pastor,  Mr, 
stop  tliero  in 
rs  of  the  pre- 
rted  minister, 
',  a  Protestant 
f  being  recon- 
;h  Ills  father. 
These  two 
With  mutual 
te  for  tho  ser- 
irber  went  to 
ift'  the  neces- 
;al  state,  and 
ing  two  years 
ation  for  his 
tion  order  at 
duties  of  the 


ur  daughters 
it  college  at 
if  the  Visita- 
vas  a  novice 


talien   to  the 


'T^l 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


415 


chapel  to  witness  their  mother's  profession;  and  at  tho 
&arne  time,  their  father,  on  tho  steps  of  the  altar  consecra- 
ted himself  to  God  in  the  Society  of  Jesus.  At  this  touch- 
ing and  unexpected  spectacle,  the  poor  children  burst  into 
sobs,  believing  themselves  forsaken  on  earth;  but  their 
Heavenly  Father  watched  over  this  privileged  family.  He 
called  the  four  daughters  to  embrace  the  religious  state; 
three  of  them  became  Ursulines ;  one  at  Quebec,  another  at 
Boston,  and  the  third  at  Three  Rivers;  tho  fourth  sister 
made  her  profession  among  the  Visitation  nuns  of  George- 
town.   Their  brother  Samuel  entered  the  Society  of  Jesus. 

Father  Virgil  Barber,  after  filling  with  great  edification 
different  posts  in  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  became  Pro- 
fessor of  Hebrew  in  Georgetown  College,  and  died  there 
March  27,  1847,  at  the  age  of  65. 

Sister  Barber  of  the  Visitation,  long  resided  at  Kaskaskia, 
where  she  founded  a  monastery.  Sister  Mary  Barber  of 
St.  Benedict,  witnessed  the  destruction  of  the  IJrsuline  con- 
vent at  Charlestown,  and  died  at  Quebec,  May  9th,  1848. 
Sister  Catherine  Barber  of  St.  Thomas,  followed  Bishop  Odin 
to  Texas  in  1849;  of  the  fourth  of  these  pious  daughters 
I  find  no  detail. 

The  grace  of  conversion  extended  to  other  members  of 
the  family.  A  nephew  and  pupil  of  Father  Virgil  Barber, 
WilHam  Tyler,  born  in  Protestantism  in  1804,  at  Derby, 
Vermont,  became  in  1844  the  first  Catholic  bishop  of  Hart- 
ford, and  died  in  his  diocese  in  1849. 

I  close.  Reverend  Mother,  by  begging  you  to  accept  once 
more  the  expression  of  my  lively  gratitude  for  all  the  as- 
sistance that  you  have  given  to  my  mission,  as  well  as  for 
the  prayers  promised  me,  not  only  by  the  religious,  but 
also  by  the  pupils.  I  thank  them  all,  and  I  recommend 
them  to  the  good  remembrances  of  my  poor  Indians,    May 


.'  \r:' 


(  : 


VBma 


416 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


If  il 


your  clanglitcrs  in  Jesus  Clirist  continue  to  give  themselves 
devotedly  to  the  holy  work  of  educating  the  young:  (Jod, 
they  will  find  by  happy  experience,  does  not  wait  for  eter- 
nity in  order  to  give  them  an  ample  nicompense !  Mi^-  the 
dear  children  continue  to  profit  hy  these  i^alutary  lessons 
and  fascinating  examples;  they  will  then  retain  in  the  world 
their  engaging  piety  and  their  gayety  of  heart,  biicause  they 
will  preserve  their  precious  innocence. 

I  pray  you  to  thank  also  in  my  name  your  worthy  direct- 
ors, M.  Lambertz  at  Theldonck  and  ^Ir.  Paops  at  Saven- 
them,  who  received  me  with  that  fraternal  cordiality  which 
should  reign  among  priests  and  religious,  called  to  labor  to- 
gether for  the  salvation  and  perfection  of  souls,  and  to  aim 
at  one  sole  end-  in  their  works  and  their  aspirations,  viz., 
the  greater  glory  of  God. 

Accept,  Reverend  Mother,  the  homage  of  my  gratitude — 
and  believe  me  your  devoted  servant  in  Christ. 

F.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


liP  lii'ii 
,1  d...iij 


tiij     -i. 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


417 


Letter  IXXVL 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Precis  Historiqubs,  Brussels. 
Voyage  of  the  teopoU  /.,  from  Antwerp  to  New  YorJc. 

Reverend  Father  : 

Time  absolutely  fails  me,  or  I  ivould  cheerfully  give  vou 
long  details.  I  send  you  a  letter  that  I  addressed  to  the 
respectable  M.  M*****  at  M      Tf  v^,,   .i«.      •*  i. 

♦1,     D  ^  •    rr.  '  y°"   "®^°^  ^^  worthy  of 

the  Pr^as  mstoriques,  please  copy  it  immediately,  and  dis- 
patch the  original.  Our  voyage  was  pleasant,  and  all  my 
companions  are  well,  and  have  given  me  great  satisfaction. 
On  the  18th  I  shall  set  out  for  St.  Louis,  &c. 


f*i 


My  DEAR  Friend: 

To  accomplish  my  promise,  I  hasten  to  give  the  news  of 
our  voyage.  I  am  well  aware  that  you  will  not  only  be 
pleased,  but  that  you  will  expect  a  letter  with  a  certain 
impatience. 

We  have  just  safely  ari-ived  in  America,  after  a  delightful 
and  tranquil  passage.  Embarking  at  Antwerp  on  the  21st 
o  April,  we  reached  New  York  on  the  7th  of  the  month  of 
Mary.    I  send  you  a  sketch  of  our  itinerary. 

The  eve  of  our  departure,  we  were  invited  to  dine  in  the 
family  of  the  worthy  and  honored  Count  Le  Grelle.  late 


il8 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


^ 


•••1 


^^^ 


^'i'!i!!l 


^^^^^^B) 

8 

1   - 

>| 

1 

M 

KSM 

! 

II 


Ml 


Burgomaster  of  Antwerp,  who  was  desirous  of  testifying  to 
us  on  this  occasion,  as  lie  did  on  several  otlier  dei)artuie8  of 
missionaries,  the  deep  interest  which  he  takes  in  our  cherished 
American  missions.  The  day  of  our  departure,  he  was  so 
kind  as  to  accompany  us  as  fur  as  the  port.  A  great  num- 
ber of  other  persons,  and  several  of  our  near  and  dear  rela- 
tives also,  came  to  the  quay,  to  bid  us  a  last  adieu  and  wish 
us  a  successful  voyage. 

They  weighed  anchor  between  nine  and  ten  in  the  morn- 
ing. The  weather  was  superb.  The  large  and  beautiful 
ship,  Leopold  I.,  was  full  of  animation.  A  multitude  of 
emigrants,  from  Germany,  Holland,  Switzerland,  Belgium, 
Russia,  France,  etc.,  etc.,  were  already  on  board,  and  were 
occupied  with  an  infinity  of  petty  cares  and  arrangements, 
in  order  to  render  the  long  passage  agreeable,  or,  as  the 
English  say,  comfortable.  The  sailors,  attentive  to  the  word 
of  command,  and  every  one  at  his  post,  were  making  the 
latest  preparations  for  setting  sail. 

We  took  but  a  day  to  reach  Southampton,  and  remairied 
there  until  the  next  day,  to  take  in  English  and  Irish  passen- 
gers. Our  number  increased  then  to  more  than  six  hundred 
and  twenty  persons.  During  the  whole  of  this  day  the  air 
resounded  with  the  songs  of  the  Germans  and  Hollanders, 
collected  on  the  deck;  several  parties  executed  dances,  to 
the  sound  of  the  violin  and  guitar ;  our  main-deck  resem- 
bled a  floating  village  at  the  Kermesse  (annual  fair).  But 
fine  things  never  endure  long,  and  here  follows  a  proof. 

Scarcely  had  we  lost  sight  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  than  the 
scene  assumed  a  new  aspect.  We  found  the  sea  in  extra- 
ordinary agitation.  Although  the  wind  was  tolerably  mod- 
erate, and  the  weather  sufficiently  fine,  the  swell  shook  the 
ship  with  such  violence,  bea'lug  us  now  on  the  summit  of 
the  highest  waves,  and  then  precipitating  us  into  an  abyss, 


AND   MISSIONAKIES. 


419 


testifying  to 
lepartuies  of 
ur  cherished 
J,  ho  was  80 
great  nuiu- 
1  dear  rehi- 
eu  and  wish 

n  the  morn- 
ad  beautiful 
nuititude  of 
d,  Belgium, 
d,  and  were 
•rangements, 
3,  or,  as  the 
to  the  word 
making  the 

id  remained 
Irish  passen- 
six  hundred 
day  the  air 

Hollanders, 
i  dances,  to 
ieck  resem- 

fair).  But 
I  proof, 
ht,  than  the 
ea  iu  extra- 
jrably  mod- 
[  shook  the 

summit  of 
0  an  abyss, 


between  the  turbulent  and  foaming  surges  which  rose  moun- 
tain high  around  us.  It  was  an  agitation  which  succeeded  a 
tempest,  or  many  heavy  contradictory  winds,  which  had 
passed,  a  short  time  before,  in  our  neighborhood.  That  day 
resembled  a  genuine  day  of  mourning;  the  songs  and  dances 
ceased  ;  no  animation  or  vivacity  was  exhibited  anywhere ; 
the  table  was  almost  deserted  ;  hunger  and  gayety  made 
their  exit  together.  Here  and  there  might  bo  seen  groups 
of  men,  women,  and  children,  with  sinister  faces  and  hag- 
gard eyes,  pale  and  wan  as  spectres,  leaning  over  the  vessel's 
side,  as  though  making  some  hasty  communication  to  tha 
sea.  Those  especially  who  had  revelled  most  freely,  and  per- 
haps looked  too  deeply  into  the  wine-cup,  wore  the  most 
melancholy  and  lengthened  faces;  they  looked  absolutely 
like  old  parchment— /ranzywe  gezichten.  Neptune  was  at 
his  post ;  this  inexorable  toll-gatlierer  exacted  the  very  last 
portion  of  his  tribute ;  willingly  or  unwillingly,  it  must  be 
paid  ;  and,  remark  it  well,  how  contradictory  the  humor  of 
the  stern  sea-king,  for  we  leave  the  table  after  dessert,  but  he 
requires  the  list  exactly  rendered,  from  dessert  to  the  initia- 
tory course  of  soup. 

Though  this  was  my  eleventh  trip  across  the  Atlantic,  I 
was  not  exempted  from  the  general  sea-sickness.  I  endeavor- 
ed to  resist,  but  all  in  vain.  I  was,  therefore,  obliged  humbly 
to  submit,  and  share  the  common  misery.  The  old  adage 
says,  "  violent  sufferings  do  not  last  long,"  hence  the  indis- 
posed insensibly  recovered,  and  we  had  no  deaths  to  mourn. 
We  had  a  worthy  and  excellent  physician  on  board,  M.  The- 
mont ;  lie  was  on  his  feet  night  and  day,  and  lavished  his 
cares  ou  all  indiscriminately. 

This  little  shadow  passed,  the  remainder  of  the  passage 
was  unclouded.  The  weather  was  favorable  from  that  day 
forward.    The  winds  were  sometimes  a  liitle  contrary,  but 


420 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


i  '  w 


^^Hj 

"^ 

!.;f   ? 


the  ocean  was  calm  and  tranquil,  until  within  six  days*  dis- 
tance from  New  York. 

I  liad  the  consolation  of  saying  mass  every  day  in  ray 
cabin.      My    young  companions   frequently   received,  and 
several  of  the  emigrants  enjoyed    the    same    happy   privi- 
lege.    You  would   have   been   edified  had  you  seen    our 
little  altar,  neatly  adorned  and   surmounted   with  a  pretty 
little  statue  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  garlanded  with   flowers 
that  some  ladies  from  Holland  had  lemoved  from  their  bon- 
nets.    On  Sunday  I  said  mass  in  the  grand  saloon,  where 
more  than  a  hundred  persons  could  conveniently  find  places ; 
several  Protestants  asked  permission  to  be  present.     Hymns 
■were  sung,  during  the  sacrifice,  in  French,  Latin,  Dutch,  and 
German.     It  was  certainly  a  rare  spectacle  on  the  ocean, 
•where  one  is  much  more  habituated  to  hearing  blasphemies 
than  the  praises  of  God. 

On  the  2d  day  of  May,  when  near  the  Banks  of  New- 
foundland, the  sea  became  covered  with  a  dense  fog.  It 
continued  thus  during  four  days,  so  that  the  captain  could 
not  make  an  observation.  We  could  not  distinguish  any 
thing  a  few  feet  from  the  boat.  The  misfortunes  of  the 
Lyonnais  and  of  the  Arctic  are  still  recent.  We  were  in 
continual  danger  of  coming  in  contact  with  some  sailing  ves- 
sel ^  pursuing  the  same  route.  As  a  precaution,  the  great 
whistle  of  the  steam-engine  was  heard  day  and  night,  in  its 
loudest  and  most  piercing  tones,  in  order  to  give  the  alarm 
to  vessels  which  might  be  in  our  passage.  By  means  of  this 
manoeuvre  we  were  able  to  advance  with  our  ordinary  rapid- 
ity, ten  or  twelve  knots,  or  four  leagues,  an  hour. 

However,  as  we  were  rapidly  approaching  land,  and  the 
fog  increasing  in  intensity,  it  appeared  that  we  were  pro- 
gressing more  or  less  at  random  ;  and  as  the  observations  of 
the  meridian  bad  become  impossible,  we  were  not  without 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


421 


K  days*  (lis- 

(lay  in  my 
ceived,  and 
ippy  privi- 
I  seen  our 
h  a  pretty 
ith  flowers 
their  bon- 
oon,  where 
iud  places ; 
t.  Hymns 
Dutch,  and 
the  ocean, 
lasphcmies 

s  of  New- 
le  fog.  It 
tain  could 
guish  any 
nes  of  the 
e  were  in 
sailing  ves- 
the  great 
ght,  in  its 
the  alarm 
ans  of  this 
lary  rapid- 

,  and  the 
were  pro- 
vations  of 
)t  without 


ftnx;ety.    Wo,  therefore,  had  recourse  to  Heaven,  and  wo 

Baid  our  beads  togctiicr,  with  the  Litany  of  our  Blessed 
Mother,  and  some  special  prayers  to  obtain,  by  the  interces- 
sion of  the  souls  in  purgatory,  a  serene  sky.  Our  prayers 
appear  to  liave  been  heard.  Some  hours  after,  the  fogs  had 
vanished,  and  wo  had  one  of  the  most  glorious  evenings  tiiat 
can  bo  witnessed  at  sea.  The  full  moon  reflected  on  the 
waves,  shone  in  its  splendor  from  the  starry  and  cloudless 
firmament.  The  next  day  the  sun  rose  majestically.  We 
saw  a  great  number  of  vessels  sailing  towards  every  point  of 
the  compass.  At  last,  all  eyes  being  turned  towards  the 
west,  we  descried  in  the  distance,  above  the  horizon,  as  it 
were,  a  long  train  of  rising  mists.  The  oflBcers  apply  the 
spy-glass  and  announce  that  those  are  the  much-desired 
coasts  of  America !  Songs  and  exclamations  of  joy  were 
sinmltaneously  oflered  by  all  hearts.  The  emigrants,  grouped 
upon  the  upper  deck,  all  saluted  the  New  World,  the  land 
of  promise,  which  bore  in  its  bosom  all  their  hopes  and  all 
their  future  prospects.  As  the  objects  and  shores  presented 
themselves  more  distinctly  to  view  my  young  companions 
could  not  satisfy  their  longing  eyes  at  the  view  of  that  land, 
to  the  salvation  of  which  they  came  to  devote  their  lives, 
and  on  which  they  will  be,  I  trust,  instruments  of  salvation 
to  thousands  of  neglected  souls.  Before  the  close  of  that 
lovely  day,  the  7th  of  the  month  of  Mary,  Ave  found  ourselves, 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  in  the  roadstead  oflF  Staten 
Island,  in  the  bay  of  New  Yoik. 

One  duty  remained  for  us  to  fulfil.  In  Lhe  name  of  all 
the  passengers  of  the  first  and  second  cabin,  who  amounted 
to  more  than  a  hundred  persons,  I  presented  to  the  worthy 
commandant  of  the  steamship,  M.  Achille  Michel,  and  to  all 
his  officers,  a  document  signed  by  all,  to  express  our  cordial 
gratitude  and  sincere  thanks  for  their  assiduous  attentions, 

88 


423 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


their  great  kiiulnesa  and  politencRs  in  regard  to  all  the  pa«- 
8t'ngor«;    and,  nt  tho  humo  tiino,  to  coniplimont  thoin  for 
their  naval  skill  in  tho  nianuguincnt  of  tho  largo  and  noble 
fchij),  Leopold  I.     Ill  all  my  woa-voyages,  1  havo  never  met  a 
connnandunt  more  cupablo,  and  officers  moro  attontivo  to 
their  charges.     Tho  whole  crow  was  well  selected  and  per- 
fectly organized.     It  is  rare  to  find  sailors  moro  tranquil,  la- 
borious, and  respectful.     Tho  names  of  Messrs.  Edward  Mi- 
chel, commander ;  Justius  Wm.  Luning,  first  mate ;   Louis 
Delmer,  second  mate  ;  Julius  Nyssens,  third  mate  ;  Leopold 
Orosfels,    fourth   mate;    Augustus  Thomont,    surgeon,  and 
Edward  Kremor,  engineer,  will  always  bo  dear  to  us.     Wo 
also  pay  a  tribute  of  respectful  thanks  to  Messrs.  Posno  and 
Spillaerdts,  of  Antwerp,  for  their  assiduous  attentions  to  ua 
before  embarking,  and  for  all  tho  precautions  which  they  so 
kindly  took  to    render  this   long  voyago   pleasant.     Most 
cheerfully  we  wish  the  happiest  success  to  tho  great  and 
noble  enterprise  of  the  "Atlantic  Steamship  Company  of 
Antwerp." 

On  arriving  in  New  York,  our  dear  brethren  of  St.  Xavier's 
College,  New  York,  and  of  St.  John's  College,  at  Fordhara, 
near  the  city,  gave  us  a  most  hearty  reception,  pleased  at 
seeing  a  new  reinforcement  to  the  apostolic  work  in  America. 
Beautiful  and  vast  America,  so  superb  in  all  its  natural  fea- 
tures, is  in  pressing  need  of  fervent,  holy,  and  zealous  mis- 
sionaries !  The  thousands  of  Catholic  emigrants  who  seek  a 
home  on  her  shores  from  year  to  year,  render  her  penury,  in 
this  respect,  more  afl3icting  and  melancholy.  Ah  !  may  the 
generous  hearts  of  Catholics  in  Holland  and  in  Belgium 
continue  to  be  moved  with  an  increasing  compassion  for  so 
many  thousands  of  souls,  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  who  are  deprived  of  pastors  and  of  the  consolations 
of  religion.     May  they  not  cease  sending  new  troops  of 


I' 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


423 


o  all  tho  pas- 
luut  thutu  fur 
'^ro  Hiid  noblo 

0  novur  inut  a 

1  attontivo  to 
iUid  and  pcr- 
0  tranquil,  la- 
).  Edward  Mi- 
mato ;  Louis 
uto ;  Leopold 
surgeon,  and 
r  to  us.  Wo 
8.  Posno  and 
ontions  to  us 
^hich  they  bo 
asant.  Most 
10  great  and 

Company  of 

>f  St.  Xavier's 

at  Fordham, 

•n,  pleased  at 

k  in  America, 

i  natural  fea- 

zealous  mis- 

8  who  seek  a 

er  penury,  in 

ih !  may  the 

in  Belgium 

)assion  for  so 

3od  of  Jesus 

consolations 

w  troops  of 


young  misalonaricR,  filled  with  a  thirst  for  tho  nalvation  of 
ilu'.'ir  neighbor.  The  harvest  is  great ;  tho  Father  of  tho 
fiiinily  only  wuitH  for  tho  harveHters.  No  country  in  tho 
world  has  in  prospect  ho  magiiificont  a  future.  I  low  happy, 
if  hhc  can  bo  induced  to  aekiiowledgo  tho  true  (Jhurch,  which 
alono  can  make  us  happy  hero  below  and  securo  us  a  happy 
eternity,  for  which  wo  have  all  beon  created  and  redeemed. 

Time  presacB,  I  must  close.     Bo  so  kind  as  to  recall  mc  to 
tho  kind  souvenirs  of,  etc.,  etc.    Continue  to  pray  for  me,  and 
accept  my  esteem  and  gratitude  for  all  your  deeds  of  kind- 
ness to  me ;  wo  retain  them  with  unfading  gratitude, 
I  have  the  honor  to  be. 

Most  worthy  and  respected  sir, 

Your  very  humble  and  ob't  serv't, 

P.  J,  Dk  Smet,  S.  J. 


.4 


424 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


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)  ^ 

Letter  XXXVII. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  riifccis  IIistoriques,  Brussklb. 

Itev.  Charles  Kerinckx^ 
Pastor  of  Evorberg-Mi'crbook  and  Missionary  In  America. 

Univkbbitt  01  Si.  Locu,  August  29, 1857. 
Rev.  and  dear  Father  : 

During  my  last  viHit  to  Belgium  I  hoard  you  express  a 
wish  to  publish  in  your  Prkiu  Historiqucs  a  sketch  of  tho 
life  of  the  venerable  and  holy  missionjiry,  licv.  Charles 
Nerinckx,  the  upostlo  of  Kentucky. 

One  of  our  best  Catholic  periodicals,  the  Metropolitan,  of 
Baltimore,  has  just  given  a  sketch  of  the  Very  Kev.  Charles 
Nerinckx.  I  hasten  to  send  you  a  copy.  In  a  note,  the 
author  of  the  sketch  refers  to  the  Life  of  Bishop  Flaget,  by 
Dr.  Spalding,  the  learned  bishop  of  Louisville  ;  the  United 
States  Catholic  Miscellany,  vol.  v.  1825  ;  the  Catholic  Al- 
manac for  1854,  etc. 

I  propose  adding  some  lines  on  the  same  subject,  in  grati- 
tude to  the  memory  of  our  zealous  and  holy  countryman  in 
the  thought  that  they  will,  perhaps,  be  agreeable  to  the 
readers  of  the  Precis  Ilistoriques. 


University  of  St.  Louis,  November,  1857. 
Rev.  and  dear  Father  : 

In  your  letter  of  October  20th,  acknowledging  receipt 
of  the  Memoir  of  Charles  Nerinckx,  taken  from  the  Metro. 


I '     i 


h 


AND    MISSION  A  RIKS. 


425 


IS,  Brussblb. 

ncrlca. 

igUHt  29,  1867. 


yon  express  a 
sketch  of  the 
licv.  Charles 

etropolitan^  of 
Kev.  Charles 
1  a  note,  the 
op  Flaget,  by 
;  the  United 
Catholic  Al- 

ject,  in  grati- 
untryman,  in 
eable  to  the 


ember,  1867. 


Iging  receipt 
1  the  Metro- 


pnUtftn  of  July  Irtth,  an.l  the  translation,  you  say  that  you 
have  already  rc<'.iv(>.l  from  im  a  ski'tch  of  tho  naino  niiHsion- 
ary,  puhUHhod  l.y  ^i^llop  SpnLHnix,  now  bishop  of  LouiHvillo, 
ill  his  SkrtchcH  of  lunhirk'if.  I  r.-m.-mbfr,  in  fact,  my  soiul- 
ing  it.  As  the  Mfinuir  rdicH  on  tli.-  authority  of  the  Hnme 
worthy  prelate,  as  the  Hubstaiu-o  of  tho  two  noti^os  in  the 
»anie,  and  as  an  old  missionary  in  America  had  already 
translated  that  in  the  Sketches,  \  think  you  will  do  well  to 
piibli»h  the  latter.* 

^f  E  M  O  I  R  . 

Charles  Nerinckxf  was  born  on  the  2d  of  October,  1761, 
at  Ilcrft'clingcn,  a  rural  commune  of  the  province  of  Iha- 
bant,  arrondissement  of  Ihusscls.  His  parents  were  distin- 
guished for  their  virtues  and   their  strong  attachment  to 


•  At  all  times  tlio  Helgiuns  Imvo  distiiigVliocl  thomselvos  in  tiio  groat 
"worlc  of  tlio  propn-ation  of  tl.o  faitli.  No  rcjrion  so  .listnnt  tliat  it  does 
not  preserve  traces  of  their  foot^topa  ;  no  people,  jnft.lol  or  savapo,  wiiicii 
does  not  recall  and  bless  tlio  iiaino  of  some  missionary  wlio  quitted  Ida 
native  Belf,'iiim.  Tlio  great  St.  Francis  Xavier  udmirod  their  virtues 
find  their  dcvotedncss.  "  Mittc  BehjaJ^  (send  me  Belgians),  was  his  pe- 
tition  from  the  depths  of  India. 

How  interesting  would  bo  a  work  to  retrace  the  labors  of  our  princi- 
pal missionaries  1  But  wliilo  biographies  of  other  Belgian  celebrities 
abound,  wo  find  few  of  those  apostolic  men,  who  expended  their  sweat 
and  blood  in  a  work  which  a  saint  calls  the  divinest  of  all  divine  works. 

While  this  gap  remains  unfilled  wo  are  happy  to  recall  a  name  well 
known  in  Belgium.  Charles  Nerinekx,  one  of  the  most  celebrated  Bel- 
gian missionaries,  was,  in  tlio  beginning  of  this  century,  one  of  the 
glories  of  the  rising  Church  of  the  United  States.— rran». 

We  Imvo  some  letters  of  this  worthy  missionary  of  Kentucky,  which 
•wo  will  publish.  Many  others  must  bo  in  existence.  Persons  com nui- 
iiicatiiig  them  to  us  will  contribute  to  the  good  these  edifying  pieces 
may  i\o.—Aote  of  Father  Terivfcoreu,. 

t  The  Nerinekx  family  is  known  by  the  many  pious  and  zealous  occle- 
Biastics  it  has  produced.  One  of  them,  early  in  the  present  century, 
repaired  to  Loudon,  where  he  still  directs  tlie  Church  of  St.  Aloysius, 


;,f 


tl 

f 

i 

1 

420 


WKSTEItW   MISSIONS 


1 

ill 


'      i 


nitgion.  ni«  fatlior  wan  h  pliy»i(iiin  of  noino  eininonco  ia 
tlio  profoMion  ;  and  Iuh  inotluir  ncetiis  to  havo  hem  a  womaa 
of  j?'»'»t  |.i«ty.  Tlio  tondt-r  iiiirul  of  CIiu.Ioh  wm  imbued 
with  a  d.o|>  and  abiding  religious  f..uling.  At  an  early  ago, 
lit.  w.iH  pliiood  it)  tho  .I.Mnctitury  ■chool  at  Ninovo,  wher«  ho 
coniiu.'nccd  Ihh  Htiidios.  At  tho  ago  of  thiitoon,  ho  was  ro- 
uioved  to  tho  coll.'go  of  (Jt«fl,  in  tho  provinco  of  Kotnpoii ; 
wlu'iico  ho  wa«  aft^TwanJH  sent  to  tho  university  of  Louvain', 
>vhero  ho  ontored  on  tho  Btuily  of  philonophy.  Ilin  parontt 
dctorminod  to  sparo  no  expenso  which  might  bo  n.'oessary  to 
give  him  a  thr)rough  education ;  and  they  wero  highly  grati- 
fiod  to  find  that  Charles  corresponded  so  well  with  their 
parontal  solicitude,  and  that  ho  more  than  fulfilled  their 
highest  oxpectations. 

Having  completed  his  academic  fioiirso,  and  duly  consulted 
God  in  prayer,  tho  young  Charles  resolved  to  study  for  tho 
Church.  Accordingly,  in  the  year  1781,  ho  wm  sent  by  hia 
parents  to  tho  Rcmitmry  of  Mechlin,  where  ho  entered  on 
tho  study  of  theology.  Hero  he  was  still  more  romarkablo 
for  tender  and  solid  piety,  than  ho  was  for  tho  rapid  advanco- 
ment  ho  made  in  his  studies.  Though  he  far  outstripped 
his  companions,  yet  ho  did  not  permit  himself  to  bo  elated 
with  his  success.  IIo  referred  all  his  actions  to  God,  to 
whom  ho  was  united  by  an  habitual  spirit  of  prayer.  He 
concealed  his  success,  even  from  Jiis  own  eyes,  under  the 
garb  of  a  deep  internal  humility;  and  from  those  of  his 
companions,  under  tho  veil  of  an  unaffected  modesty.  Ho 
feared  the  praises  of  men  more  than  others  usually  seek  them. 


which  lio  erecto.1,  and  tho  orphan  asyhun  annexed  to  it,  also  founded 
by  liiin,  and  placed  un.l(T  tlic  direction  of  Sisters  called  the  Faithful 
companions  of  Je.'^m.  Another  rcli^rioiis  of  the  family  luhors  in  the  toil- 
•omo  mission  of  Missonrl.  The  IMgmx  elcnry  count  several  mem- 
bers of  tlie  suiue  family,— JW<  of  Beljiau  tra/islahr. 


AND   MTSflrONARIEi. 


427 


Tliu  itmlicn  completed,  Jio  wni*  ordnlnod  pHont  In  1785  : 
uri.l  In  tlio  following  y.!«r  wnn  appoinU'.l  ntn\  or  pantor,  of 
Mci-lilin,  the  arolii..piH.>op!vl  city.  FI«  lillod  tliiM  important 
poHt  for  oifflit  yenrn,  an.l  pitlMTtnl  lluiro  tho  al.un.laiit  llint- 
fruitJ*  of  his  ministry.  Tho  ^^oo.]  people  of  Mechlin  yet 
rometnlKT  hin  piety  and  lahoiious  z.-al,  tho  efU'ctn  of  which 
they  still  feci.  Tho  rectory  of  Evorberg-Mnerbeolc,  half  M-.-iy 
between  Nfoehlin  and  Ihus«clH,  havinj?  becoino  vacant  by  the 
death  of  the  a-^od  inc.iinbi.nt,  M.  Nerinckx  was  appointed  to 
nil  it,  by  tho  Ki-ricral  HnflVago  of  a  boar.l  of  exainint-rs,  who, 
after  tho  nearchiiig  examination,  or  concuraus,  rocommendcd 
by  the  Holy  Council  of  Trent  for  kucIj  cmscs,  unanimously 
awarded  him  the  palm  over  all  other  candidates.  Though 
loth  to  leave  Mechlin,  whore  tho  people  were  much  attached 
to  him,  yet  ho  hesitated  not  to  enter  upon  tho  now  field  of 
liibor  thus  opened  to  him  by  Providence. 

Tho  extensive  parish  of  Everberg-Moerbeek  was  in  a  neg- 
Iccted  and  deplorable  condition.  Tho  parish  church  was  in 
a  dilapidated  state,  and  tho  people  had  been  much  neglected, 
in  consecjm  oo  of  tho  age  and  infirmities  of  his  predecessor 
in  his  pastoral  oflico.  M.  Nerinckx  inimediately  set  about 
rwrnedying  all  these  evils;  ho  repaired  tho  church,  and  was 
assiduous  in  hiseftbrts  to  revive  piety  among  his  now  parish- 
ioners. Believing  that  the  hearts  of  the  parents  could  bo 
most  effectually  reached  through  their  children,  he  spared 
no  pains  to  instruct  the  latter,  and  to  rear  them  up  in  tho 
most  tender  sentiments  of  piety.  He  gave  them  catechetical 
instructions  on  every  Sunday  evening  after  vespers.  To  do 
this  the  more  successfully,  he  divided  the  parish  into  sections,  ] 
and  distributed  tho  children  into  regular  classes,  which  ho' 
taught  himself,  or  through  pious  catechists  whom  he  had 
selected;  and  ho  had  the  names  of  all  the  children  of  his 
parish  carefully  registered.     He  soon  won  the  hearts  of  the 


r 


428 


"WESTERN   MISSIONS 


y 


I  '. 


31'  " 

1 i 


clnWren,  ami  was  able  easily  lo  ok„i„  tl.oi,'  rog„lar  attend- 
ance  at  catoc-lns,n  He  f,,..,„„„tlj.  in„,,e„tej  o„  th..,.,  a  tea- 
d..- <l„vo„on  to  the  Holy  Vngi,,,  and  taught  them  to  sin. 
ca„t,.le,,  wiMch  he  had  co„,,,o.,ed  in  her  honor. 

iho  eflecis  of  this  di.,oi|,iino  were  soon  dis<;ernabIo.  The 
clnldren  wore  pr,.,,a,ed  for  their  first  eonnnnnion,  and  soon 
beeame  n.odels  of  pie.y  f„r  the  whole  parish,  iho  hearts 
of  the  parents  were  tunehed ;  and  the  most  neglectful  or 
obdurate  among  them,  were  gradually  brought  to  a  sense  of 
duty  1  ,e  y  was  seen  to  flourish  in  a  parish  belore  distin- 
gmshed  only  for  its  ooldne.,s  and  uegligenee.  Jfun.erous 
p  on     co„fraternu,es  in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  were 

To  r  ;  "7,1'  ^r"'"""'"  <•-  visiting  the  L,  11 

fo   other  ehar^able  objects.    Thus,  by  the  zeal  of  one  n,an 
»ded  by  the  D.viue  blessing,  a  total  reformation  was  efTcctld 
■n  a  short  tune;  and  the  parish  of  Everberg-Meerbeek  be- 
came  a  model  for  all  others. 

M.  Nerinckx,  though  kind  and  polite  to  all,  was  rather 
austere  m  h,s  manners,  a,  well  as  rigid  in  his  discipline.  He 
wa  however,  always  n.uch  „..,  rigij  „Hh  himself  than 
«.th  others     He  never  lost  a  n.oment,  nor  allowed  himself 

v.s.ted   he  different  families  of  his  parish  only  on  duty,  and 

generally  on  Sunday  evenings.  He  knew  well  tlLtaprie^\  0 
does  h,s  duty  has  little  time  to  spare  for  idle  conversation 
\\here™r  good  was  to  be  done,  or  a  soul  to  be  saved  the™ 
>vas  he  found,  by  day  or  by  night,  in  rain  or  in  sunshine  n 
vmter  or  m  summer.  When  not  actually  engaged  in  the 
■mn,stry,  he  w^,  always  found  at  home,  employed  in  pra  ! 
or  m  study.  He  was  an  enemy  of  promiscuous' dance  and 
Ic  succeeded  ,„  abolishing  them  throughout  his  parish. 

liad  done  so  much  good,  should  be  viewed  with  an  evil  eye 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


429 


by  the  .nficiel  leaders  of  the  French  revohitionary  movement 
who  had  recently  taken  possession  of  Belgium.  An  order 
lor  his  apprehension  was  accordingly  issued  ;  and  M.  Nerinckx 
was  compelled  to  fly  from  his  dear  parish,  which  he  left  a 
prey  to  the  devouring  wolves.  In  1797  he  secreted  himself 
in  the  hospital  at  Termonde,  which  was  under  the  charge 
of  twelve  or  fifteen  hospitaller  nuns,  of  whom  his  aunt  was 
superior.  Here  ho  remained  for  seven  years,  during  all  of 
which  time  he  carried  his  life  in  his  hands.  He  acted  as 
chaplain  to  the  hospital,  the  former  incumbent  having  been 
banished  to  the  Isle  of  lihe.  He  bore  his  persecutions  with 
entire  resignation  to  the  holy  will  of  God,  and  edified  all  by 
the  practice  of  every  virtue.  He  encouraged  the  good  nuns 
to  persevere  in  their  heavenly  calling  of  mercy.  He  said 
mass  for  them  every  morning  at  two  o'clock,  and  then  re- 
tired to  his  hiding-place  before  the  dawn. 

In  his  retreat  he  had  full  leisure  to  apply  to  study,  and  he 
lost  not  a  moment  of  his  precious  time.    He  wrote  treatises 
on  theology,  on  Church  history,  and  on  canon  law  ;  and  his 
manuscripts  would  have  filled  eight  or  ten  printed  octavo 
volumes.   These  he  was  often  afterwards  solicited  to  publish  ; 
but  his  modesty  took  the  alarm,  and  he  was  inflexible  in  his  re- 
fusal.  In  the  hospital  of  Termonde  were  shut  up  many  of  the 
prisoners  who  had  b-en  made  in  the  revolutionary  battles 
fought  in  Belgium.     Some  of  these  were  horribly  maimed. 
M.  Nerinckx  did  all  he  could,  in  his  dangerous  situation,  to 
assuage  their  suflferings,  and  to  impart  to  them  spiritual  suc- 
cor.    At  the  dead  hour  of  night,  he  often  stole  to  their  cells, 
at  imminent  hazard  of  his  life,  and  administered  to  them 
the  holy  sacraments ;  and  when  they  were  hurried  to  execu- 
tion, he  viewed  them  from  his  hiding-place,  and  imparted  to 
them  the  last  absolution.     Often,  too,  he  visited  by  stealth 
his  dear  parish    of  Evciberg-Meerbeek,  admiuistering  the 


^■'.     ■)• 


fm> 


r.  I 


n    '. 


1 

w 

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1 

1 

Hi 

1 

i! 

1 

430 


iiiiii!! 


Ill' 


IMIiilili 


WESTEKN   MISSIONS 


Bacraments  to  his  people,  consoling  thera  in  their  sufferings, 
and  strengthening  tliem  in  the  hour  of  clanger. 

Beset  with  dangers,  and  uncertain  as  to  the  duration  of 
the  dreadful  storm  which  was  then  sweeping  over  Europe, 
M.  Nerinckx  at  length  determined  to  bid  adieu  to  his  unhap- 
py country,  and  to  emigrate  to  the  United  States.  Here 
"  the  harvest  was  great,  and  the  laborers  few  i"  and  no  im- 
pediment was  placed  in  the  way  of  a  free  exercise  of  religion, 
according  to  each  one's  conscientious  convictions.  He  accord- 
ingly made  his  escape,  in  a  vessel  which  sailed  from  Amster- 
dam to  the  United  States,  on  the  14th  of  August,  1804. 

He  had  a  long  and  dangerous  passage  of  ninety  days.  The 
old  and  rickety  vessel  was  often  in  imminent  danger  of  foun- 
dering at  sea ;  and,  to  add  to  the  distress,  a  contagious  dis- 
order carried  off  many  of  the  passengers  and  crew.  Still 
they  were  not  chastened  under  the  rod  of  affliction ;  the 
heart  of  M.  Nerinckx  often  bled  over  their  wickedness,  which 
he  was  wholly  unable  to  check ;  and  he  afterwards  was  in 
the  habit  of  styling  this  ill-fated  ship  »  a  floating  hell."  The 
captain,  in  particular,  was  a  very  profane  and  wicked  man. 
M.  Nerinckx  was  wont  to  ascribe  his  preservation  from  ship- 
wreck, to  a  special  interposition  of  Divine  Providence. 

He  reached  Baltimore  about  the  middle  of  November, 
and  immediately  offered  his  services  to  the  Patriarch  of  the 
American  Church— Bishop  Carroll*— for  whatever  mission 


fl'fffil 


*  Bishop  Carroll  was  an  illustrious  scion  of  one  of  the  two  hundred 
English  Catholic  families,  who,  in  1633,  flying  from  the  religious  oppres- 
Bion  to  which  they  were  subjected  in  their  native  land,  crossed  the 
Atlantic,  and  settled  Maryland,  under  the  guidance  of  Lord  Baltimore. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  till  the  suppression  of  the 
order,  in  1778.  He  continued  to  cultivate  that  portion  of  the  Lord's 
vineyard,  with  his  old  fellow-religious,  till  his  promotion  to  the  episco- 
pate, in  1789.  Pope  Pius  VI.  confided  to  him  the  new  See  of  BaUimore, 
and  placed  under  his  jurisdiction  the  whole  extent  of  the  United  States. 


if 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


431 


in  the  United  States  he  might  think  proper  to  assign  him. 
Bishop  Carroll  received  the  good  exile  with  open  arms,  and 
immediately  sent  him  to  Georgetown,*  to  prepare  himself 
for  the  American  mission,  by  learning  English,  with  which, 
as  yet,  he  was  wholly  unacquainted.  M.  Nerinckx  was  then 
in  his  forty-fifth  year ;  and  yet  he  applied  himself  with  so 
much  ardor  to  the  study  of  the  English  language,  as  to  be 
able  m  a  few  months  to  speak  and  write  it  with  considerable 
facility. 

Bishop  Carroll  was  well  aware  of  the  forlorn  condition  of 
M.  Badin,f  who  was  alone  in  Kentucky,  and  he  determined 
to  sendithe  new  missionary  to  liis  assistance.  And  had  he 
sent  us  no  other,  Kentucky  would  still  have  ample  reason  to 
be  forever  grateful  to  him  for  the  invaluable  treasure  he  sent 
in  M.  Nerinckx. 

The  good  missionary  hesitated  not  a  moment  to  comply 
with  the  wish  of  his  new  superior.  What  cared  he  for  the 
dangers,  privations,  and  labors,  which  he  foresaw  he  would 
have  to  endure  on  the  arduous  mission  to  which  he  was 
hastening  ?  Had  he  not  been  already  trained  to  this  severe 
discipline  of  the  cross ;  and  had  he  come  to  America  to  rest 

His  death,  which  occurred  in  1815,  caused  extraordinary  grief  through- 
out the  country.  ** 

*  Georgetown  C>llege  is  the  oldest  Catholic  university  in  the  United 
btates,  and  has  been  at  all  times  a  fruitful  hive  of  missionaries.  It  is 
situated  on  a  height,  in  view  of  Washington.  It  has  been,  since  ita 
origin,  under  the  direction  of  the  Fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  This 
college  has  acquired  new  importance  by  the  magnificent  observatory 
erected  there  some  years  since,  and  by  the  astronomical  observations 
made  there. 

t  The  Eev.  Mr.  Badin,  who  died  recently,  after  an  apostolate  of  over 
ha.f  a  centuiy,  was  a  native  of  France.  He  studied  at  Baltimore,  where 
he  was  ordained  in  1793,  by  Bishop  Carroll.  He  was  the  first  priest  or- 
darned  m  the  United  States,  where,  so  shorUy  before,  the  Catholics  had 
groaned  under  the  English  penal  laws. 


432 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


on  a  bod  of  down,  and  to  dully  with  luxuries  ?  From  an 
early  period  of  his  life,  labors  and  sutferings  had  been  his 
daily  bread;  and  now  he  w:is  too  much  accustomed  to  them 
any  longer  to  feel  any  ap{)reheusion  on  their  account.  IIo 
was,  on  the  contrary,  rejoiced  to  enter  on  a  mission  which 
no  one  else  wished,  or  was  indeed  willing  to  accept. 

He  left  Baltimore  in  the  spring  of  1805,  and,  after  a  long 
and  painful  journey,  reached  Kentucky  on  the  5th  of  July 
following.  He  immediately  applied  himself  zealously  to  the 
labors  of  tlie  mission,  which  he  cheerfully  shared  with  M. 
Badin,  the  vicar-general.  For  the  first  seven  years  he 
resided  with  M.  Badin,  at  St.  Stephen's ;  afterwards,  he  took 
up  his  residence  chiefly  near  the  church  of  St.  Charles, 
which  he  had  erected  on  Hardin's  Creek,  and  named  after 
his  patron  saint.  But  he  was  seldom  at  home :  ho  lived  on 
his  scattered  missions,  and  passed  nmch  of  his  time  on  horse- 
back. 

His  labors  in  the  arduous  field  upon  which  he  had  now 
entered,  were  as  great  as  their  fruit  was  abundant.  With 
his  whole  soul,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. He  even  seemed  to  court  labors  and  sufFerino-s  for 
their  own  sake.  Of  a  powerful  frame,  and  of  herculean  con- 
stitution, he  never  spared  himself.  His  rest  was  brief,  and 
his  food  was  generally  of  the  coarsest  kind.  He  generally 
arose  several  hours  before  day,  which  hours  he  devoted  to 
prayer  and  study.  In  ftict,  he  seemed  to  be  always  engaged 
in  mental  prayer,  no  matter  how  numerous  or  distracting 
were  his  employments. 

He  appeared  to  live  solely  for  God  and  for  his  neighbor. 
Performing  his  duty  was  his  daily  bread.  And  though  old 
age  was  fast  creeping  over  him,  yet  he  relaxed  in  nothing 
his  exhausting  labors.  His  soul  was  still  fresh  aud  vigorous  ; 
and  God  so  preserved  his  health,  that,  even  at  the  age  of 


..11 


AND  MISSrONARIES.  433 

.ixty.  1,0  sccmoci  giftod  with  all  tl.o  strength  and  vigor  of 

ir„  «.«„„,  „i»c,l  offe,i„g„pthe  holy  Bacriflco  daily,  no 

O    rwl'"     l      ""  '■''  '"■"•'""'  f""'"'»  "'  i^l-po.Hion! 
Often  was  he  known  to  ride  twenty-five  or  thirty  n,iL  fast 

."g,  m  -■<'-  to  bo  able  to  ,ay  mas.    His  missionary    ahl  ' 

wonld  be  almost  incredible,  were  they  not  still    o  w   ,  r    ' 

numbered  by  almost  all  the  older  Catholics  of  Kentucky 

was  an^rf ,""  ""'i''"''"'''' '  '"  ''"•™<'  "°  <™oulties,  and 
was  appalled  by  no  dangers.    Through  rain  and  stems- 

slrbvl""",'  '"'  "™^  '"'''  '"'""''  almost  impl: 
«hlo  b^the  mad;  over  streams   swollen  by  the  rains   or 

smZeM        11 ',  ''  "''  ■""•'  ''^  "«'"■  '"Winter  and  i: 
mnme    he  might  be  seen  traversing  all  parts  of  Kentucky 

n  the  discharge  of  his  laborious  duties.    Far  from  shunoTn/ 

he  seemed  even  to  seek  after  hardships  and  dange...  ^' 

He  crossed  wilderness  districts,  swam  rivers,  slept  in  the 

woods  among  the  wild  bests;  and  while  u  dergoing  all 

fy.ng  himself  m  many  other  ways.     His  eour.,ge  and  vigor 

endu  e.    As  his  courage,  so  neither  did  his  cheerfulness  ever 
abandon  h,m     Ho  seldom  laughed,  or  even  smiled;  bu 
the  e  was  withal  an  air  of  contentment  and  cheerfulness 
about  h,m  which  greatly  qualified  the  natural  austerity  of 
h,s  countenance  and  manners.     He  could,  like  the  gfeat 
Apostle  make  himself  "all  to  all,  to  gain  all  to  Christ."  He 
appeared  even  more  at  home  in  the  cabin  of  the  humblest 
2-.orm  the  hnt  of  the  poor  negro,  than  in  the  moTe 
pietendmg  mansions  of  the  wealthy. 
He  was  averse  to  giving  trouble  to  others,  especially  to 

ke  attended  to  his  own  hor-se,  and  took  a  brief  repose  in  the 

87 


1 


i'.  ;'i 


h 


^   t 


fi 


484 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


ijj  i  !■  jM  !;;ui 


•table,  or  in  some  out-liouao ;  and  when  the  inmates  of  the 
house  arose  next  morning,  they  frequently  perceived  him 
already  up,  and  saying  his  office,  or  making  his  meditation. 
He  made  it  an  invariable  rule  never  to  miss  an  appointment, 
whenever  it  was  at  all  possible  to  keep  it.  Ho  often  arrived 
at  a  distant  station  early  in  the  rooming,  after  having  rodo 
during  all  of  the  previous  night.  On  these  occasions,  he 
heard  confessions,  taught  catechism,  gave  instructions,  and 
said  mass  for  the  people  generally  after  noon  ;  and  he  seldom 
broke  his  fast  until  three  or  four  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

In  swimming  rivers,  ho  was  often  exposed  to  great  danger. 
Once,  in  going  to  visit  a  sick  pereon,  he  came  to  a  stream 
which  his  companion  knew  to  be  impassable.  M.  Nerinckx 
took  the  saddle  of  his  friend — who  refused  to  venture — 
placed  it  on  his  own,  and  then,  remounting  the  horse,  placed 
himself  on  his  knees  on  the  top  of  the  two  saddles,  and 
thus  crossed  the  flood,  which  flowed  over  his  horse's  back. 
On  another  occasion,  he  made  a  still  more  narrow  escape. 
He  was  swept  from  his  horse,  which  lost  its  footing  and  was 
carried  away  by  the  current ;  and  the  rider  barely  saved 
himself,  and  reached  the  other  shore,  by  clinging  firmly  to 
the  horse's  tail. 

On  one  of  his  missionary  tours,  he  narrowly  escaped 
being  devoured  by  the  wolves,  which  then  greatly  infested 
those  portions  of  Kentucky  which  were  not  densely  settled. 
"While  travelling  to  visit  a  distant  station,  in  what  is  now 
called  Grayson  county,  but  what  was  then  an  almost  unre- 
claimed wilderness,  he  lost  his  way  in  the  night.  It  was  the 
dead  of  winter,  and  the  darkness  was  so  great  that  he  could 
not  hope  to  extricate  himself  from  his  painful  situation. 
Meantime,  while  he  was  seeking  a  sheltered  place,  where  he 
could  take  some  repose,  the  famished  wolves  scented  him, 
and  came  in  hundreds,  fiercely  howling  ground  him.    With 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


435 


groat  prosoncG  of  mind,  ho 


immofHatcIyrcniountcfl  liis  h 


knovvm.£.  tl.Ht  tl.oy  wouM  Hc-trccly  attack  hirn  while  on 
horseback  Ifo  haMooc.!  at  the  top  of  his  voi.o,  an<l  to.npo- 
ranly  fnghtono.l  ,h.m  off;  but  soon  they  n-turned  to  tho 
chargo,  and  kept  hini  at  bay  during  the  whole  night.  Onco 
or  twice  thoy  seemed  on  the  point  of  seizing  his^horse,  and 
M  Jsermckx  made  the  sign  of  the  eross,  and  pre,.ared  him- 
self  for  death  ;  but  a  mysterious  Providence  watched  over 
h>m  and  he  escaped,  after  sitting  his  horse  tho  whole  night. 
With  the  dawn,  the  wolves  disappeared. 

As  we  have  said,  he  was  a  man  of  powerful  frame  and  her- 
cu  ean  strength.  A  proof  of  this  will  be  presented  in  the 
fol  owing  singular  adventure,  which  is  well  known  to  all  the 
older  Catholics  of  Kentucky. 

He  was  in  the  habit  of  rigidly  enforcing  order  in  the 
church,  during  the  celebration  of  the  divine  mysteries.  Prot- 
estants,  and  persons  of  no  religion,  often  attended  church, 
led  thither  chiefly  by  curiosity.  These  sometimes  did  not 
conform  to  the  rules  of  propriety;  and  M.  Nerinckx,  who 
was  ittle  swayed  by  human  respect,  was  not  slow  to  admon- 
ish  them  of  their  faults  in  this  particular.  As  he  was  not 
very  well  versed  in  the  English  language,  and  was  by  nature 
rather  plain  and  frank,  his  admonitions  were  not  always  well 
understood,  or  well  received.     Once,  especially,  a  man  by 

thenameofllardin-ayouth  of  powerful  frame  and  strength, 
and  some^^dlat  of  a  bully-took  great  offence  at  something 
which  M.  Tsennckx  had  said,  and  which  it  seems  he  had  en- 
tirely misunderstood.  He  openly  declared  that  he  would  be 
avenged  on  the  priest,  the  first  time  that  he  would  meet  him 
alone. 

An  opportunity  soon  occurred.     M.  Nerinckx  was  goin/r 
to  the  church  of  St.  Charles,  from  St.  Stephen's,  when  Har- 


din  waylaid  him  on  the 


road. 


opringaig  from  his  hiding- 


t 


1 


436 


WKSTEUN    MISSIONS 


;i      ' 


piano,  ho  seized  tlio  bii.llo-ioins  of  M  Nca-iiickx's  liorso,  nnd 
bid  liiiii  stop,  "for  that   lie   intrii.Iud   to  givo  him  a  sound 
dnild.itin;."     At  tlio  8111110  time  ho  cut  ono  of  tho  stirnip- 
huthors,  and  onh'iod  th((  ridor  to  dismount— an  order  which 
was   i.n.inptly   comi-linl   with.     M.   Neriiickx  lomoiistmled 
with  liiiii;  told  him  that  ho  had  meant  in  nowiso  to  offend 
or  injure  him  ;  and   that  liis  profession  wholly  forhado  liim 
to  wraiij,do  or  fiirht.     JIar.lin,  however,  persisted,  and  was  in 
tho  act  of  strikiiin;  tho  priest,  when  the  latter  took  hold  of 
him,  and  (piietly  laid  him  on  tlio  ground,  aa  though  ho  had 
been  the  merest  child  ;  ohserving  t,,  him,  moantimo,  with  a 
pmile,  "that  lio  would  neither  strike  or  injiiro  him,  but  that 
ho  felt  authorized  to  pco  that  himself  received  no  injury  at 
liis  hands."     In  this  position  he  held  him  motionless  on  his 
back,  until  ho  had  obtained  from  him  a  promise  that  no  fur- 
ther attempt  should  bo  made  on  his  person. 

After  this  rencounter,  M.  Neriiickx  quietly  remounted  his 
horse,  and  proceeded  on  his  journey,  JIardin  ns  quietly 
moving  off  in  tho  other  direction.  On  arriving  at  the 
church,  ono  of  his  friends  asked  M.  Nerinckx,  "how  it  hap- 
pened that  his  stirrupdeather  had  been  cut?"  lie  replied, 
by  simply  stating  the  a.lventnro  in  a  few  words;  and  observ- 
ing, with  a  smile,  "  that  these  young  buckskins  could  not 
handle  a  Dutchman  !"  After  this  he  never  was  heard  to 
ppeak  of  the  affair  ;  but  Hardin  was  wont  to  say  to  his 
friends,  "  he  often  thought  before  that  b.e  liad  handled  men, 
but  that  he  really  never  had  hold  of  one  before  he  met 
Priest  Nerinckx,  who,  ho  verily  believed,  had  something 
supernatural  about  him."  " 

M.  Nerinckx  often  manifested  his  great  bodily  streno-th  in  * 
the  course  of  his  laborious  life.     IIo  erected  no  less  than 
ten  churches  in  Kentucky ;  two  of  which-those  of  Holy 
Cross  and  of  Lebanon— were  of  brick,  and  tho  rest  of  hewed 


AND   MiafllONARIFS. 


437 


kx's  liorso,  ntid 
H  liitn  a  Hound 
of  llu!  htirriip- 
m\  onler  which 
X  rornoustiatcd 
owiso  to  orti'!id 
y  torhado  hini 
0(1,  and  was  in 
r  took  liold  of 
;lioiigh  ho  had 
atitimo,  with  a 
)  hiin,  but  that 
d  no  injury  at 
tioulcsa  on  his 
sc  that  no  fur- 

roiniountod  his 
lin  as  quietly 
riving  at  the 
,  "  how  it  hap- 
'  IIo  replied, 
;  and  observ- 
ins  could  not 
was  heard  to 
to  say  to  his 
handled  men, 
efore  he  met 
ad  somethino: 

y  strengtli  in  . 
no  less  than 
liose  of  Holy 
lest  of  hewed 


"g«.     IIo   w,«  not  c..„l,.„t   will,   .lirvotlnff  tI,o  l„l,„„  „f 
other.;  ho  w„H  «„«,  i„l,.,„,ixi,,i;  will,  i|„,  „,,,k„„.     ..yi 

-m  u,  .uu,„K  ,i,„l,„,,  i„  .|,,„i„f,  „„t  ,l,„  ,„„l„r«ro«,l, 
n,  In,  „u.y  .,|    ,.  .,„„,,,  „,  ,„„.,,   , ,      „^  ^         • 

,T  't'    T    ■  "'."'■■'■' ■'■"'"''""'"  -1.  in  ■-""vi„g 

""■■'>■,";•:' "« "'  ^»"  ■■•■  tiH'oo  „„.„  or  0.1 ./.i,,;l  ,„, 

ll>3  bu.lt  l,„   „„,,    ho„»,,  ,|,i.llj.  with  l,i,  o„„  1,„„U,;  „„a 

was  wont  to  8av  clu'crfiillv   "fl,..*    i  ;     .    i         i     . 

insf  M  rn  •      -^  ""*'"">'     tliat  his  palace  hud  cost  hira 

just  W.bO  Hi  nionc'v  ! 

IIo  had  charge  oV  six  large  congregations,  besides  a  much 
g  eater  number  of  stations,  scatt.-r.!  over  the  wh<.le  extent 
of  Ke  ..cky.  N  herever  he  couM  learn  that  there  were  a 
feu  Cathohc  settlers,  there  he  established  a  station,  or  erected 
a  church.  he  labor  which  he  thus  voluntarily  took  on 
nmself  IS  ahnost  incredible.  To  visit  all  his  churches  and 
8tat  ons  generally  recjuired  the  space  of  at  least  six  weeks. 

lie  never  took  any  rest  or  .ccreation.     Ho  secined  always 
inos   happy,  when  n,o.st  busily  engaged.     He  seldom  talked, 
except  on  b.usmess,  or  on  Cod,  on  virtue,  or  on  his  n.ission' 
a.y  dufes.      On   reaching  a  chnreh  or  stutior.,  his  confes- 
sional was  usually  th,onged  by   penitents,  from   the  early 
dawn  untd  mul-day.     Uetbro  beginning  to  hear  confessions^ 
I.e  usually  sa.d  some   prayers    with  the   people,  and  then 
gave  them   a   solid    and   familiar  instruction  on  the  man- 
ner of  approaching  the  holy  tribunal.     If  he  seemed  austere 
out  of  the   confessional,  he  was  in  it  a  most  kind,  patient, 
and  tender  father.     He  spared  no  tin.e  nor  pains  to  Lstrnc 
us  pen.tents  all  of  whon,,  ^uithout  one  exception,  were  deeply 
attached  to  hun.     To  his  instructions  chiet^v,  in  the  conL- 
sional,  are  wc  to  ascribe  the  piety  and  .-egtdarity  of  numy 
among  the  living  Catholics  in  Kentucky.  ^ 

But  it  was  on  the  children  and  servants  that  ho  lavished 

87<» 


438 


v\  ;    ' 


H  ; 

1  |l|l|  ! 

ijjiiijii, 

li 

■ 

'i' 

1 

WESTKIwN   MLSSIONa 


Im  labor  w.tl.  tl.o  p^rontc^  r..l!«l..     Thoroughly  to  instruct 
t  u'.n,  a„.|  j>r..,,,,,e  th.in  for  ihoir  ttrst  con.nmnion,  was  hm 
darlMi^.c.n.pIoy.nont.     IIo  thuuijht  no  tin..,  nor  lal.or,  that 
was  .lovut...!  to  this  favorit.  ohjoct  of  hi.  heart,  too  h.n.'  or 
lll-Hl>ont      For  this  purpose,  ho  usually  r.-rnaincl  a  week  at 
oa.h   of  tho   ehurehes   and   ntntions.      During,   this  ti.ne,  ho 
.aci  the  ch.l.lron  an.l  H.rvants  daily  as«,.n,hl...d,  h.kI  d.n'otM 
hKs  whole  tiuio  to  then,.     He  thus  renewed  in  Kentucky  tho 
e^l.tymg   «eenes  whi-h    had   bc.n    witnessed   in   his  fonncr 
pansh   of  Kverber^-Meerbeek,    in  JJelgiun..      The  chiklr«u 
Avero  nu.eh   altu-hed  to  hin, ;  and  ho  possessed  a  peculiar 
taet  in  wn.nu,;.  their  hearts,  and  stinu.Iatin.  then,  to  learn 
their  cateehmn,,  and  to  be  vii-tuous.     He  distributed  the.n  in 
regular  classes  and  awarded  prcniu.ns  to  th.  ,nost  deserving. 
T1,U8  he    aul,  broad  a,.d  deep,  the  foundations  of  Catholic 
piety  in  Kentucky. 

In  Kentucky,  'also,  as  in  Belgium,  l,o  sought  to  inculcate 
a  tender  devotion  to  tho  Blessed  Virgin.  The  first  church 
winch  ho  erected  he  <Iedicated  to  God  under  her  invocation, 
and  called  it  IL.ly  Mary's,  after  her.  His  churches  were 
generally  built  in  the  form  of  a  cross  :  the  two  arms  of 
which,  with  one  half  of  the  body,  were  occupied  respectively 
by  the  ,..,en  and  women,  who  were  always  kept  separate. 

A.cer  ni.ss,  he  was  in  the  habit  of  practising  a  devotion, 
as  beautiful  as  ,t  was  touching  and  impressive.  He  went  to 
the  centre  of  the  chun^h,  where,  sui-rounded  by  the  little 
chikh-en,  who  so  dearly  loved  him,  he  knelt  down,  and,  with 
Ins  arms  extended  in  the  form  of  a  cross-the  children  rais- 
ing also_  tlieir  little  amis  in  the  same  manner-he  n-cited 
prayers  m  honor  „f  ,|,o  five  blessed  wounds  of  our  IMvine 
Saviour.  The  p.-uvnts  often  juhu-l  the-  cl.il.lren  in  th^s 
moving  devotio,..  AOe,-  this,  he  lod  hi.  V,^].  eongr..vat=on 
<-OM.puseci  chieMy  of  doluren,  into  the  a.yoinin...  .:.r.v;.va.'d' 


AND  MresrOKARIM. 


439 


^hore  he  caujcl  tl.om  to  vinit  and  pray  over  the  graves  of 
their  (!ccen«o(l  rdatives  and  (vmu]^. 

God  Mossed  his  |,d,.,rH  with  fruits  so  ahur.dantand  porma- 
nont  as  to  ro.Hoh,  him  for  all  hin  toils  and  privations.     He 

^  Ht  hud  recon  ly  be.n  a  wildorncss,  inhabited  only  by  fl  roe 
w.Id  beasts  and  untamable  sava;....  He  saw  in  the  virtues 
of  Ins  scattered  flock,  a  revival  of  those  which  had  rendered 

M  IJal.n  had  a.d  the  foundation;  and.  like  a  skilful  archi- 
tect he  re«Hrc^  the  superstructure,  in  that  portion  of  the 
flock  jntrusted  to  his  charge.  The  results  of  his  labo.^ 
piove  how  much  one  good  man,  with  the  blessing  of  God 
can  achieve  by  his  single  efforts,  prompted  by  the  lofty  mo! 
t,ve  of  the  d,v,ne  glory,  and  directed  with  simplicity  of 
heart  to  one  noble  end.  ^  "^  "i 

Yet^  though  learned  and  of  solid  judgment,  he  was  not 

for  pulp,t  eloquence.  Ilia  discourses  were  plat>,  nmtter'of- 
fact  instructions,  delivered  in  broken  English.  anU  with  little 
llieloncal  ornament. 

Though  ho  ha.l  somolhing  austoro  in  his  manner,  and 
hongh  he  was  a  foreigner,  and  .,,„ko  Enghsh  ve.7  i^per- 
toy,  yet  ,t  ,s  rcn,arkable  that  he  made,  perhaps,  raoro  con- 
■erta  among  Protestants,  than  any  other  missionary  who  ever 
..bore.1  m  Kentucky,  if  we  exeept  M.  Badin.  So  true  is  it 
hat  eonvers,on  is  not  ordinarily  effected  by  human  eloquenc^ 
«ione  or  by  any  other  mere  human  means,  but  by  the  grace 

and  We.ssu,g  of  God,  crow g  with  success  the  labors  of  the 

n  «.„nary.  M.  Nerinckx  seldom  made  a  missionary  tour 
w  bout  rcce,v,ng  some  one  into  the  bosom  of  the  Holy 
Ca,l,„  ,c  Church.  In  „„e  of  these  excursions,  he  made  no 
lower  than  thirteen  converts.     An,I  tl.A...  ™i. , •     . 


440 


WFSTKFiN   MISSIONS 


ni 


into  the  Cl.nroh  w.ro  w.ll  jrronr..le.l  in  tl.o  fHill,,  an.l  mn 
eriiWy  proved  sUMulla^t. 

Tho  tmnH..,M..|,.„t  n,..rit«  of  M  N.-rinrkx  .lid  tint  oncnm 
tl.e  eye  of  IIIhIio,,  Curr..!!.     I{..i.|..«   I.Hvinj.  ..|,a,-^ro  ..f  ,L 
whole  torntory  of  il.c  (Jnit..!  State.,  thin  vnicuM..  palria.rh 
of  tho  A.non(,n„  (Jl.urvh  w,.h  „Iho  a.l.„i„iHtnitor  of  tlu,  .lio- 
C,ne  of  Now  Organs  wl.i.l.  l,.,l  U.,„  f.,,„„„^.  ^.^.,,^^  ^j^,,,^,,^ 
ft  b.»hop.    On  tlu.  .livinion  of  Lin  v«Ht  cl.aixo  into  live  dincrm.t 
C1.0COHCH,  ,n   1800,  an.l  tho  orortion  of  hin  own  ..«  into  nn 
iircl.lnshopri,.,   h„  ,econun.ncK..I  to  tho  Holy  So.,   (|,c   Il.v 
M.  Nenn.kx,  m  a  suifal.].,    p^son  to  tako  cl,art.c  of  tho 
vacant  duH-ce  of  New  OrL-Hns,*  in  the  character  of  a.hniniH- 
trator.     Ij.o  Sovoroign   I'ontilf  acce.lo.l  to  his  r...M,o.sf,  an.l 
<^.spatcho.l  H  l.rief  to  that  effect.     The  appoin,n...nt  .,f  M. 
IVcrinckx  to  this  Mt,uiti.,n  was  inten-lcl  m  the  fore.unnci-  of 
Jii8  con8eciati<.n  as  binlDp  of  Now  Orleans. 

Tho  good  missionary  was  with  M.  Ua.lin  when  ho  Icarncl 
tho  news  of  his  appoint,„.nt.     J[o  n.oekly  bowed  his  head, 
a.K  observed  to  Ins  f.ien.l,  beginning  with  the  .words  of  the 
p«ahn,st:  ^^JJonifatem  et  .liscijUnuua  et  scienli.un  docendus 
Jocere  non  ..W'_.qr,ving  myself  to  be  .an.d.t  g.KHlness,' 
and  d.sc.pbno,  an.l  knowledge,  1  an.  not,  able  to  teach  theso 
things  to  others."     He  n.il.lly,  |>„t  firn.ly  n-lWd  the  prof- 
fered honor.     Desirons  of  retainir.g  hin.  in  Kentucky,  where 
Ins  labors  were  so  fruitful,  M.  nadin,in  conjunction  with  tho 
Domuncan  Fathers  of   St.  ll.>se,  petitione.l   the  Ilolv  See 
that  he  n„ght  not  bo  conipoiled  to  accept  an  oftico  (vhich 
would  tear  him  fr..n,  a  field  of  labor  in  which  he  had  abeady 


Uniil  S  ;     ' ,     K    1'  ''•'^  '''''"""^  ''  ^''°  ^''''^^  -^.^•.  -"^  -I'l  to  tho 

t.i8l.op  a  (  ubnn,  lu.vu,^.  hcc.  transferred  to  another  sec,  uud  \m  sue- 
casBor  Lttviug  been  uuublo  to  roucli  hia  dioceao 


1^1     ^ 


AND   MMaiONARlEB.  Alt 

Provo.1  .o  ornlnontly  u«.ful.     Thov  nI«o  ronro.onKxl  tl.ut  .l.n 
groat  dohoacy  of  conHcioru.  ..|.anu.t.n.tl^  o    M   N        .^ 

Tho  Pon.ift'  j.id,le,l  to  il,„  onlrvatic.,  of  M.  N..,i,„.k, 

ll,e''s!'ri"'r.""''""'"""""  "'"'°  '''■  J*-  N«rin.kx,  that  of 
J  o„l  of   ),„  Cro»,    „  t|,„  p,.i,„.i|,„l,  ,„„|  ,,^      „,^„{  „f   , 

g-CHtat  b.,„.flt  ,0  ,1,0  dioc...o  of  K,.„t,K:ky.      /,;,   ,  ,   ,'   ,'  '" 
fanao.  to  ..pi,.o  to  ,ho  lof,y  ,,„foc,io„  of  „,„  „,,•,,        '^ 

01  pmjor,  of  diso„,ir,.,gen>,.„t  from  tlio  world  a„.l  of  ,  ,)„ 
«hu.s,„„„  i„  the  p„tl,  of  Clui,.ia„p,.rf.c.io„  '  oblv tf 
too  ,„„„3,j.oun«  girl,  ,vi,o  woro  raf.ed  in  ignorance  a„d 
g«a.ly  exposed  to  te.nptntion.     II„  devi,„d  an  "d  ,  irablf 

CI.  8.CS  of  females,  ,„  the  establishment  of  the  now  Si, 
tchood  o  Loret,o-,vhiel,  nan.e  l,e  gave  ,!,«„  It  o 
reverence  tor  the  f„„ou,  «hri„e  of  the'virgin,  ,t\:rett; 

The  foundation  of  the  now  society  waa  laid  on  the  26th  of 


wr^ 


r;''  .  'i 


m 

i 

1 

IM..M 

442 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


April,  1812 — noMily  ayouriifier  the  arrival  of  Bishop  Flaget* 
in  Kentucky.  Tlic  niothor  cstablislimcnt  was  called  Loretto, 
and  was  erected  on  Hardin's  Creek,  near  the  church  of  St. 
Charles.  The  houses  were  built  of  wood,  and  were  very 
poorly  furnished.  They  were  erected  on  one  side  of  an 
oblong  inclosure,  in  the  centre  of  which  was  reared  a  largo 
wooden  cross.  The  chapel  of  the  sisters  occupied  a  central 
position  in  the  buildings  which  stood  on  either  side. 

The  number  of  those  who  attaclied  themselves  to  the  new 
institute  increased  every  year.  Soon  the  buildings  were  too 
small  for  the  number  of  applicants ;  and  the  pious  founder 
was  under  the  necessity  of  erecting  new  houses,!  and  of 
creating  branch  establishments  of  the  society.  In  twelve 
years  from  its  commencement,  the  number  of  Sisters  exceeded 
a  hundred  ;  and  they  had  already  under  their  charge  six  dif- 
ferent schools  for  girls.     In  the  letter  above  quoted,  Bishop 


*  This  great  bishop  arrived  in  Kentucky,  June  11, 1811,  and  died 
there,  piously,  in  1850.  Bisliop  Porticr,  of  Mobile,  sayw  of  him  :  «'  The 
diocese  of  Bardstown  was  the  cradle  of  religion  in  the  West,  and  its 
venerable  founder,  by  his  long  career,  may  well  be  styled  the  patriarch 
of  North  America,  as  his  labors  and  virtues  proclaimed  him  the  model 
of  apostolic  life. 

+  According  to  a  letter  of  M.  Nerinckx,  dated  from  Loretto,  Ky,, 
September  11,  1818,  addressed  to  the  Superior  of  the  Hospital  Nuns  of 
Vilvorde,  the  Sisters  of  Loretto  had  then  four  houses,  viz:  The 
Mother  house  ;  that  of  Oliues,  four  hundred  miles  from  Loretto,  where 
seven  sisters  had  been  sent,  at  the  request  of  the  bishop,  to  found  a 
house ;  Get/isemane,  and  Calvari/.  Loretto  then  contained  twenty-two 
novices  and  some  postulants.  During  the  whole  sununcr  they  had  sup- 
ported and,  in  a  great  measure,  clothed  eighty  or  ninety  persons,  at  the 
expense  of  the  convent,  although  it  possessed  no  lucrative  property 
and  no  certain  income;  the  school  even,  in  this  respect,  was  almost 
unproductive,  as  the  asylum  and  loTver  classes  paid  nothing. 

In  this  letter,  M.  Nerinckx  recalls  himself  to  the  kind  remembrance  of 
Bome  persons  especially  of  Vilvorde,  who  had  contributed,  by  alms,  to 
the  missions.    We  may  be  permitted  to  cite  the  names  of  some  of  our 


III 


AND  MISSIONAEIES. 


443 


Flagot,  after  having  denominated  the  sisterhood  the  most 
valuable  It-gacy  whicli  the  good  M.  Norinckx  had  left  to  his 
diocese,  speaks  as  f.^llows  of  the  condition  of  tiie  society,  in 
1824,  iniinediately  after  the  death  of  the  founder: 
^  "  Their  nuinlwr  is  over  one  hundred  ;  they  have  charge  of 
six  schools.  They  give  education  to  upwards  of  two  hund- 
red and  fifty  girls  yearly  in  their  houses,  and  take  in  some 
oi'phans  gratis.  The  missionaries  generally  send  the  chil- 
dren whom  they  wish  to  prepare  for  their  first  communion 
to  these  monasteries,  whenever  they  can,  and  they,  as  well 
ns  the  boarders,  are  admirabiy  well  instructed  in  all  that  may 
be  useful,  both  for  this  world  and  for  eternity." 

The  assiduous  attention  to  the  religious  instruction  of  girls 
constituted,  in  fact,  the  principal  utility  of  the  pious  society. 
It  is  difficult  to  estimate  how  much  it  has,  by  this  means, 
contributed  towards  fostering  and  sustaining  piety  in  this 
diocese.  Within  the  first  ten  years  of  its  existence,  the  Sis- 
terhood had  already  prepared  for  their  first  communion  eight 
hundred  young  ladies.  These  afterwards  became  mothers  of 
families,  and  were  able  to  instruct  others;  and  thus  the  good 
was  perpetuated  from  generation  to  generation. 

M.  Nerinckx  watched  over  the  new  institution  with  the  ten- 
der solicitude  of  a  parent.  He  devoted  to  the  spiritual  instruc- 
tion of  the  Sisters  and  of  their  scholars,  all  the  time  he  could 
spare  from  the  heavier  dntit-s  of  his  missionary  life.  He  en- 
deavored to  infuse  into  them  his  own  spirit  of  prayer  and 


own  place.  Tliey  are,  the  rector  and  nuns  of  the  order  of  St.  August- 
ine, the  Hev.  Messrs.  Van  Ilaeclit,  Vuu  Ophein,  Van  Hamme  and  hia 
Bisters,  Mile.  Van  L.iethein,  and  others  whom  he  indicates  without 
natninf^. 

He  also  mo.rUons  a  printed  letter,  which  the  hospital  sisters  would 
soon  receive.  We  do  not  Icuow  this  missive  of  tiie  missiouary.— i\bi< 
of  Fatlier  Ttrwecoren. 


m 


I 


IK. 
i 

i  m . 


444 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


mortification.  lie  labored  assiduously,  both  by  word  and 
example,  to  disengage  them  entirely  from  the  world,  and  to 
tram  them  to  the  practice  of  a  sublime  Christian  perfection. 
He  ardently  sought  to  keep  alive  in  their  hearts  the  true 
Bpirit  of  the  religious  vocation ;  to  make  them  despise  the 
world,  trample  on  its  vanities,  and  devote  themselves  wholly 
to  the  service  of  God  and  of  the  neighbor,  by  a  faithful  com- 
phance  with  the  duties  growing  out  of  the  three  simple  vows, 
ot  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience,  they  had  taken 

Especially  did  he  endeavor  to  impress  upon  them  the  obli- 
gation of  placing  implicit  reliance  upon  the  good  j.rovidence 
of  God,  not  only  in  their  spiritual,  but  also  in  all  their  tem- 
poral concerns.     A  favorite  maxim  which  he  had  always  in 
his  heart,  and  frequently  on  his  lips,  was  embodied  in  this 
golden  saying:  "  Do  not  abandon  Providence ;  and  he  will 
rever    abandon  you."      How  could   that  good    heavenly 
Father    who  "clothes  the  lilies  of  the  field,  and  feeds  the 
birds  of  the  air,"  abandon  those  who  had  put  all  their  trust 
m  him,  and  had  devoted  themselves  entirely,  both  in  body 
and  soul,  to  his  service  ?  ^ 

In  fact,  this  unbounded  confidence  in  the  providence  of 
God,  was  almost  the  only  legacy  he  was  able  to  bequeath  to 
the  Lorettines.     They  bad,  in  the  commencement  of  their 
society,  but  little  of  this  world's  goods  to  depend  upon.     It 
^as  not  difficult  for  them  to  practise  the  poverty  which  they 
had  vowed;  they  were  already  extremely  poor  and  desti- 
tute ,  and  m  fulfilling  their  vow,  they  had  but  to  love  and 
submit  cheerfully  to  that  which  was  a  stern  necessity  of  their 
condition      Their  houses  were   poor  and   badly  furnished: 
their  clothing  was  of  the  plainest  kind;  and  their  food  was 
01  tne  coarsest. 

U,  J^erinckx  himself  set  them  the  example  of  the  poverty 
and  mortification  which  their  institute  required  them  to  love, 


AND   MISSIONARIES.  445 

«8  well  as  to  practise.  According  to  the  testimony  of  Lis 
b,*op,  "  ,„  h„n.„,f  ,„j  ,„  extve„,ely  aurteve  and  .nortiiied 
1  fc,  hm  dress,  1„»  lodging,  his  f„„d  were  poor;  and  he  Inul 

so  l|,t  f  "'°''"^""™.  «'"'  ""»  I'-'ly  nmit.  Those  women 
ongi  t  for  poverty  ,n  every  thing_i„  their  monasteries, 
m  the  plam  sm,pl,o,ty  of  their  chapels.  The  neatness,  the 
c  eanlmess,  the  snnplieity  of  their  dwellings,  and  of  their 
chapels,  excited  the  wonder  of  their  visitors." 

To  keep  up  the  constant  practice  and  spirit  of  prayer  in 
thcr  houses,  M.  Nerinckx  inculcated,  besides  regum-^d 
devout  attendance  at  all  the  pious  exercises  of  tht  eomrau- 
Ti  '^'-'"■'l"'  »J  '''•■""gl'out  the  day,  the  utility  of  raising 
th  .r  hearts  to  God  by  a  pious  aspiration  or  ejaculation^ 
whenever  they  would  hear  the  clock  strike,  or  would  pas 
tiom  one  occupation  to  another. 

Especially  did  he  enjoin  upon  them  a  tender  devotion  to 
the  Llcssed  Vn-g,n,  weeping  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  a 
frequent  repetition  of  the  pious  ejaculation:  "0  s^fferinr, 
Jesus!  O  sorrowful  Mary!"  To  feed  and  keep  alive  th! 
spnit  of  piety,  he  recommended  to  them  frequent  visits  to 
the  holy_ sacrament  of  the  altar;  and  we  have  already  seen 
ho  provision  which  he  made  to  keep  up  the  perpetual  adora- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ  in  this,  the  greatest  mystery  of  his 
undying  love  for  mankind.  ^  J       ^  ^^  xiis 

To  foster  the  spirit  of  humility  and  mortification,  he  recora- 
inended  manual  labor,  and  the  love  of  being  employed  in  the 
nios  tmei,,,  offices  of  the  house.  To  entomb  them  to 
piactise  these  employments  with  cheerfulness  and  love  he 
pointed  to  the  lowly  life,  and  the  voluntary  hardships  and 
pnvat. ons  of  the  Blessed  Saviour ;  and  to  the  great  utility  of 
such  mortifications,  for  the  atonement  of  sin,  and  the  laying 
up  ot  abundant  merits  in  heaven. 

This  austerity  was  apparent  in  the  body  of  rules  which  h^ 

38 


446 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


:wi 


drew  up  for  the  g-uidanco  of  the  society.  They  breathed  the 
purest  spirit  of  Christian  perfection ;  but  experience  subso- 
quently  demonstrated  tliat  some  of  them  were  too  rigid  for 
health,  and  ill-suited  to  the  nature  of  the  climate.  Of  this 
character  were,  the  great  exposure  of  the  Sisters  to  every  in- 
convenience of  weather,  while  laboring  hard  in  the  fields,  or 
forests,  and  the  practice  of  going  barefoot  during  a  great 
portion  of  the  year.  As  we  have  said,  the  poverty  of  the 
society  at  its  commencement  compelled  hard  labor  ;  the  other 
practice  was  adopted,  with  many  others  of  a  similar  nature, 
to  cherish  a  constant  spirit  of  mortification.  But  these' 
more  rigid  regulations  were  retrenched  from  the  rule  on  its 
subsequent  revision,  while  its  substance  and  spirit  were  fully 
retained. 

The  li€art  of  the  good  founder  was  consoled  by  the  early 
piety  and  fervor  of  the  Sisterhood.  These  appeared  to  enter 
into  the  entire  spirit  of  their  state,  and  to  correspond,  to  the 
full,  with  his  instructions.  According  to  the  testimony  of 
tlie  good  Bishop  Flaget,*  "they  were  the  edification  of  all 
who  knew  them :  and  their  singular  piety,  and  their  peni- 
tential lives,  reminded  one  of  all  that  we  have  read  of  the 
ancient  monasteries  of  Palestine  and  of  Thebais." 

Thus  did  the  good  M.  Nerinckx,  alone  and  unaided,  except 
by  Divine  Providence,  found  a  society  of  pious  ladies,  which 
has  already  done,  and  will  no  doubt  continue  to  do,  incal- 


*  Bishop  Flaget  wrote,  in  1834:  "The  Lorettines  were  founded  in 
Kentucky  by  a  learned  and  zealous  missionary  from  Flanders,  Mr. . 
Charles  Nerinckx,  in  the  second  year  of  my  episcopate.  The  rules  of 
this  new  community  were  submitted  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  who  made 
various  changes.  His  Holiness  took  this  new  fomily  under  his  protec- 
tion, as  I  was  informed  by  his  eminence,  Cardinal  Fcsch;  and  what  is 
Btill  more  flattering,  the  Sisters  of  Loretto,  in  Kentucky,  received  from 
the  Pope  all  the  spiritual  privileges  enjoyed  by  the  chapel  of  Loretto. 
in  Italy."  ' 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


447 


culablo  good  to  religion  in  this  diocese.  M.  Nerinckx  suc- 
ceeded in  doing  what  M.  Dadin  had  been  unable  to  accom- 
plish. The  latter,  with  intentions  and  views  very  similar  to 
those  afterwards  entertained  by  the  former,  had  constructed 
an  edifice  for  a  monastery  at  St.  Stephens ;  but  before  it 
could  be  completed,  it  was  burned  down  by  accident,  and 
thus  the  whole  design  was  frustrated.  It  was  iu  the  order  of 
Providence,  that  the  exertions  of  M.  Nerinckx  should  bo 
crowned  with  better  success.  His  success,  in  i^ict,  surpassed 
liis  own  most  sanguine  expectations.  The  branches  of  his 
institution  yearly  multiplied,  and  soon  Kentucky  was  too 
narrow  a  field  for  the  exercise  of  its  charity  and  zeal. 

The  good  founder  had  been  induced  to  send  a  colony  of 
the  Lorettines  to  Missouri  ;*  and  he  had  already  received 
gratifying  accounts  of  the  success  which  had  there  crowned 
their  labors.  Though  almost  exhausted  with  his  missionary 
toils,  and  worn  down  by  old  age,  he  yet  determined  to  pay  a 
visit  to  this  distant  branch  of  the  society,  in  order  to  en- 
courage the  Sisters  in  the  path  of  usefulness  on  which  they 
had  entered. 

Another  principal  motive  of  his  journey  to  Missouri,  was 
an  ardent  desire  for  the  conversion  and  civilization  of  the 
Indians,  who  were  there  very  numerous  at  that  time.  He 
had  formed  a  plan  to  induce  the  heads  of  families  and  the 
chiefs  of  the  savage  tribes  to  send  their  children  to  the 
schools  of  the  society,  where  they  might  be  taught  the  Eng- 
lish language,  the  elements  of  learning,  and  especially  the 
catechism.    This  he  conceived  to  be  the  best  means  of 


■J 


*  There  are  now  four  convents  of  the  Sisters  of  Loretto  in  Kentucky 
three  in  Missouri,  one  in  Nebraska,  and  one  in  New  Mexico.  Rev.  IX 
A.  Deparcq,  a  Belgian,  the  present  director-general,  resides  at  the 
mother-Iiouae  of  Loretto, — Behj..  Tram. 


448 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


reclaiming  the  Trulinn  tiibos;  ami,  in  facf,  it  was  but  a  cnriy- 
iiig  out  of  a  favorite  system,  uiiicl,  l,e  ha.l  fuun.l  so  e.nincntly 
buccessfnl,  both  in  Europe  and  in  Aniorica-tliat  of  reachinrr 
the  parents  through  tiie  pioty  of  tlieir  children.  ° 

This  was  the  last  journey  that  the  good  missionary  ever 
performed.     Ue  died  iu  the   midst  of  it,   on  the   12ih  of 
August,  1824,  at  the  house  of  the  liev.  Mr.  Dahman,  parish 
pnest  of  St.  Genevieve,     lie  breathed  his  last,  while  closely 
engaged  in  the  labors  of  the  mission,  and  while  pantin^r  for 
new  means  of  promoting  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation 
of  souls.     ll,s  death  was  vvorihy  of  his  lifo.     Calm,  patient, 
collected,  and  resigned  to  the  will  of  Heaven  ;  praying  to  the 
last,  and  longing  to  be  ficed  from  the  prison  of  the  body 
and  to  be  with  Christ,  the  good  priest  bade  farewell  to  this 
world,  with  a  confident  assurance  of  a  blessed  immortality 
in  the  next.  '' 

The  fever  of  which  he  died  he  had  contracted  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  missionary  duties.  The  chief  circumstances 
ot  his  death  are  so  well  related  by  Bishop  Flaget,  that  we 
will  give  them  in  his  own  words : 

"  After  the  arrival  of  M.  Nerinckx  at  the  residence  of  the 
bisters  in  Missouri,  he  wrote  to  riie  a  most  affecting  letter, 
describing  the  good  they  had  accomplished  in  that  diocese, 
and  the  hopes  which  he  entertained  of  their  being  one  day 
useful  to  the  Indians.     Thence  he  went  to  visit  an  establish- 
ment of  Flemish  Jesuits,  which  is  pretty  numerous,  and  about 
ninety  miles  distant  from  the  monastery.     After  spending 
some  days  of  edifying  fervor  in  the  midst  of  those  holy  and 
beloved  countrymen  of  his,  he  sot  out  on  his  return  to  the 
monastery,  and  thence  intended  coming  to  Kentucky.    Near 
St.  Louis,  he  had  an  interview  ^ylih  an  Indian  chief,  who 
promised  to  send  him  a  great  nu'uber  of  the  young  females 
of  uis  tribe,  to  be  educated  by  the  Sisters.    He  made  haste 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


449 


to  carry  this  news  to  tl.e  .nonastory,  an<l  his  heart  burned 
v.th.u   mn   wh,  0  his  i,na,,ination  pictured  to  itself  the  good 
rx'spoct  which  hiy  open  to  his  hopes.  .         ** 

"On  his  n, a.  1,  however,  was  a  path  to  a  settlement  of  ciHit 
or  ten  C.thol.c  fan.ili.s,  who  had   not  seen  a  priest  du.h.g 
no.e  than  two  years.     Desirous  of  doing  nil  the  good  in  hit 
power  he  assend.le.l  ,hcMn,  hea.<l  their  conf^ssionsi  gave  them 
..struct.ons  and   edebrated  for  tln.„  the   lK>ly  ;^^^^^^^^^ 
he  mass.     If.  was  thus  occupied,  from  a  little   after  day- 
break, unt.l  towards  three  o'clock  in  the  evening.     Seeim. 
1.0  good  dispositions  of  those  Catholics,  he  proposed  to  them 
o  budd  a  church,  m  order  to  encourage  priests  to  como  to 
t'icni  ;    a  subscription  was   immediately   o.^ened    by  those 
present;  out  of  h,s  own  small  n,eans  h'o  give  ten  dolts 

"After  all  this  exertion,  in  such  broiling  weather,  he  felt 
ovensh  s3.„ptoms      These  continued   next  dav,  but  appa- 
rently much  dnnnushed.     Jle  wished  to  go  to  St.  GenevLve 
which  was  only  fifteen  or  eighteen  miles  distant ;  and  though 
the  journey  was  short,  still  the  exertion  and  the  burning  sun 
greatly  mcrensed  the  fever.     Tl.e  pastor  of  St.  Genevieve 
M.Dahman)  received  him  with  great  kindness  and  affection. 
I  e  was  obliged  to  betake  himself  immediately  to  bed;  the 
physicians  came  promptly,  and  paid  him   every  attention; 
but  to  no  purpose.  ' 

"M.i\e.inckx  was,  I  ,n,st,  in  the  eye  of  God,  ri.pe  for 
heaven  ;  and  his  Lord  saw  that  it  was  time  to  bestow  upon 
ns  faithful  servant  the  recompense  of  his  labors.  He  had 
tlio  use  of  his  reason  to  the  last,  an.l  edified  all  ^vho  saw  him 
by  his  pietyand  patience.  On  the  ninth  day  of  his  sickness, 
about  nine  in  the  morning,  he  received  the  holy  viaticum 
and  extreme  unction,  after  having  made  his  confession  •  and 

S8"  ' 


450 


WESTKnN   MISSIONS 


about  five  in  tlio  cvoiiiiinr,  ho  hrcathctl  out  Ins  puro  noul  to 
return  to  its  ('ivator,  wiili  eiitiro  ivsir^njition,  ninl  without  h 
8trnnfgh\  The  Lorcttiucs  in  Missouri  requested  to  hnve  his 
body,  which  was  accordingly  convoyed  to  their  cemetery 
from  St.  Genevieve." 

The  transfer  of  liis  remains  to  this  monastery  of  Ik'thle- 
bcm,  Missouri,  was  miule  by  I  ho  direction  of  Hishop  llosati, 
who  had  iirrived  at  St.  (jiencvievo  on  the  morning  after  the 
death  of  the  good  missioiuiry.  He  assisted  at  his  funeral 
service,  whicli  was  lUTformcd  with  great  solemnity. 

M.  Nerinckx  had  reached  his  0.3d  year;  and,  during  the 
last  forty  years  of  ids  life,  ho  had  laboietl  for  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  good  of  his  neighbor,  with  a  constancy,  an  ac- 
tivity, and  a  zeal,  seldom  eqtuilled,  never,  perhaps,  surpassed. 
His  whole  life  had  been  one  continual  voluntary  martyrdom 
and  holocaust.  He  contemned  this  world,  and  panted  only 
for  heaven;  but  he  ardt^ntly  wished  to  go  to  paradise  with  a 
numerous  escort  of  souls,  whom  ho  had  been  insM-umental 
in  rescuing  from  |KMdition,  and  leading  to  salvation.  This 
thought  seemed  to  engross  his  whole  mind  and  soul ;  and  his 
life  was  but  a  carrying  of  it  out.  That  God,  whom  he 
served  so  long  and  so  faithfully,  h;,8  no  doubt  long  since 
crowned  these  lofty  aspirations  of  his  humble  and  heroic 
servant. 

A  little  before  his  death,  M.  Nerinckx  had  intended  to 
found  also  a  religious  brotherhood,  bound  together  by  the 
ordinary  vows  of  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience;  and 
wholly  devoted,  like  the  Loieltines,  to  the  service  of  God  and 
the  good  of  the  neighbor.  He  had  oven  begun  this  estab- 
lishment, and  had  already  received  into  it  some  members, 
one  of  whom,  James  Vanrissalberghe,  accompanied  him  on 
his  last  journey  to  Missouri,  and  assisted  him  in  his  last 
illness.      But   death  cut  short  his  design   in  this  respect: 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


451 


ami,  deprived  of  its  founder,  ll.o  brotl.crl.ood  8oon  ceased  to 
exist. 

Ii>  ll.e  yoar  183.3,  I.Ih  ro.nains  woro  translated  to  Kontncky 
and  de,,o.s,ted  in  a  suifabN,  .nonunu-nt  erected  at  Lorutto! 
the  motiier-houso  of  tlj«  Lorettin..8.  This  .nonumont  .tands 
in  the  centre  of  the  conventual  graveyard.  The  base  of  it 
la  a  parallelogratn,  about  six  foct  lon^r.,  by  three  wide.  It 
IS  budt  with  brick,  eovere.1  with  a  plain  oak-plank,  painted 
and  sanded  in  imitation  of  stone,  and  surmounted  by  a  larffo 
urn.  On  each  side  of  the  brick-work  is  a  projuctincr  tab- 
et,  on  each  of  which  is  engraved  one  of  the  inscriptions 
tliat  follow : 

"In  memory  of  Rev.  Charles  Nerinckx,  a  native  of  Flan- 
ders,  who  died  August  12,  1824,  in  Missouri.  His  remains 
were  translated  to  Kentucky  in  1833,  by  brother  Charles 
Oilbert,  at  the  request  of  the  Loretto  Society,  and  interred 
at  this  place  by  the  lit.  Rev.  Bishop  Flaget,  and  the  Rev.  Q. 
I.  Chabrat,  superior  of  the  Society." 

•'M.  Nerinckx  came  to  Kentucky  in  1805,  and  devoted 
liimself  zealously  to  that  laborious  mission,  during  which 
time  he  was  nominated  to  the  diocese  of  New  Orielins,  but 
he  refused  that  dignity;  and  in  1812,  with  the  approbation 
of  the  Holy  See,  instituted  the  Lorettines,  or  Friends  of  Mary, 
and  died  in  performing  the  visitation  of  the  order,  at  St! 
Genevieve,  Missouri,  aged  63." 

One  of  the  end-tablets  has  '' JRequiescat  in  pace-;'  and 
on  the  other  end-tablet  are  these  words  :  "Loretto's  mite  of 
esteem  and  veneration  for  its  founder."  "  Do  not  forsake 
Providence,  and  he  will  never  forsake  you.  C.  N."— this 
being  a  favorite  saying  of  his  to  the  nuns,  at  a  time  when 
rrovidence  was  almost  their  only  dependence  for  the  next 
day's  dinner. 

Such  was  the  life,  such  the  death,  and  such  the  establish- 


' 


in 


452 


W18TKKN    MISSIONS 


.1.  I' 


1  '■  tho  licv.  Clinrlos  Ni'iiiirkv,  ono  of  tlio  very 
l».'vf  i-iostH  whoever  l.il)oro<|  on  tho  iinluou.s  iiiwsiuns  of 
Ainerica.* 


litter  of  th6  lien.  M.   Xirhnfl-x  ghinff  an  Account  of  hit 

V'li'fion, 

Bt.  Maiiy'w  a:olliii$f  Fork,  Ky.),  Jan.  23,  1806, 
R«V.  ANU   DKAH  Fuit-iND  : 

Not  to  bo  wiintiuj;  to  oiii-  t'loso  frieiKisUip,  nor  (U'scrvo 
tlio  niproacli  of  tlclay,  or  even  of  noii^ligenco,  in  n  cnuno  ns 
arrious  as  (iod'.s  honor,  tlio  prop.-iif.ition  of  religion,  tho  m\- 
vntion  of  our  noi^^hhor  and  onr  own,  I  cannot  help  writing 
letter  on  letter  to  call  with  loud  crieH  vigorous  laborers  to 
one  of  the  most  plenteous  harvests,  an<l  seek  in  every  direc- 
tion whatevcir  is  needed  to  labor  there.  We  agreed,  when 
■wo  took  our  last  farewell,  to  employ  all  our  zeal  to  succor 
ourselves  our  brethren  in  Anieriea,  who  suffer  and  dio  of 
spiritual  hunger;  and  till  that  end  is  obtained,  to  endeavor 
to  sejiuro  tho  concurreneo  of  men  bettor  fitted  than  ourselves 
in  word  and  prayer.  Let  us  keep  our  word.  Let  us  not 
lose  courage,  although  our  first  attemj»ts  have  not  answered 
our  expectations.  Persuade  the  good  wlioni  you  seek;  send 
tho  generous  men  whom  you  may  convince.  Tho  plan  to 
fidupt,  and  the  means  to  use,  were  suggested  in  my  !ett<n-8 
last   year.     You    iiave,   doubtless,    received    them.     If  the 


*  Durinrr  luH  stay  ii.  Kentnc^y,  IJev.  M.  Ncrinckx  ituulo  two  voynirea 
to  Belgimti,  ill  I8ia  and  isi'.i,  to  obtain  of  his  generous  ooimtryinen  iiid 
not  to  be  fbuii<l  in  Amcricri.  Amon.ir  ti.o  yoiini(  men  wliom  l,c  took 
over  on  liis  last  voyacro,  woro  several  ^eniinurians  of  Meciilin,  moat  of 
"wlioni  iieeanio  tncirihers  of  llie  Society  of  .Jesus  in  tl.e  United  States, 
and  coiitiuue  to  labor  iu  tho  viueyard  of  the  Lord.—JJelt/.  Trans. 


AND   MmHIONARIKfl. 


453 


ccount  of  hi» 


motivps  ntu!  ronsons  uliiiih   in.luced 


im  mynflf  to  iindor- 


tako   thiH   voy/ij^e   coiil.l  p,.|»iiiul.,  oIIi.tm  to  foljow,   lu,io  it 
Boni.!  idea  of  I  linn. 

A<:cor.|ii,i.  to  tho  puial.Io  in  the  O.mp,.!,  sfakul,  cotit.(i„!T 
my  resourcfH,  i.«iii;.  tl.o  n.osi  .■onsMlcrntiohs  of  wM.-h  I  wan 
c«i>al,lc,  n,ul  repeatedly  ,.u.litati„o.  on  my  project,  [  found 
tlie  following  motives  for  settin;^  out: 

1.  The  danrjor  of  my  own  defcctioti,  of  hoing  p<>rvorted  or 
fallmg  into  orror,  if  I  ivmuincd  at  lioi,),,,  and  the  almost  i,ttor 
U8elc.88nc«8  of  my  presence  in  iJolgium  in  tlio  actual  state  of 
tilings. 

2.  Certain  hope  of  propnrrating  tlm  honor  of  God  uu<Ier 
tins  severe  menace :  «  Woe  to  me  if  1  have  not  preached  tl.o 
Gospcd." 

3.  The  tendency  of  the  American  p.-opjo  towards  the 
Catholic  religion,  and  the  pen  my  of  priests. 

4.  Tlio  urgent  opportunity  of  paying  my  evangelical  dd.t 
of  ten  thousand  talents.  A  dignified  dinner  in  my  own 
land,  winch  abounds  in  advantages,  I  almost  despaired  of 
doing  real  penance,  and  making  duo  satisfaction.  Hence  I 
conclude.1  that  1  must  uixlertake  inevitable  toils  and  sorrows. 

6.  The  favorable  advice  of  competent  persons,  without 
whoso  council  I  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  act. 

Such  were  nearly  the  principal  motives  of  my  resolution 
which  I  confirmed  by  the  following  thoughts  well  suited  to 
spur  mo  on : 

_  First.~A  lively  ardor  of  vigorous  faith  in  God,  and  espe- 
cially in  1,18  ministers.  The  object  of  this  faith  was :  1.  The 
greatness  of  God  and  his  majesty,  and  his  domain  and  ri.rhts 
over  our  niinistry,  and  our  duty  to  serve  him  everywhere. 
"  I  am  thy  servant,  and  the  son  of  thy  handmaid.  All  servo 
thee  ;  how  shall  I  not  servo  thee  ?"  and  the  perfectly  incom- 
prehensible honor  with  which,  too,  he  has  deigned  to  honor 


.  f 


HP' 


454 


RRN    MT»fllONS 


Ui,  by  lntro<1ucinpf  m  into  tli«»  holy  of  holicii,  «n»l  by  rnnlcinjif 
IIR  with  the  |)iiiii'i'H  of  liirt  |m'i)|»I.',  which  hn  h/w  (HTluiiily  not 
d«>ru»  for  UH  ti»  wt.iiul  iilK'.  *.'.  'I'ho  labom,  «w«'.it,  aii<l  sorrows 
of  JemiH,  our  mnMUM*,  ko  worthy  of  hive  in  all  poiiitn  of  viow, 
uikI  of  hJN  tlim'iplt'H  who««  ButKirinf^H  wti  hnvjj  m^^n.  H.  Tho 
BoltlitTH  of  oniihly  kirijjH  hoivo  without  choice  of  country, 
nnd  »r«  forcevl  to  servo  for  n  riition  of  bn<H<l  and  wator ;  and 
what  trial*  do  thoy  not  moot,  what  kindM  of  donth  (h)  thoy 
not  fuco  without  any  remunoration  ?  Can  it  «c«m  cquitabh), 
th«!n,  for  u»  to  »hrink  from  ihu  Mwcet  yoko  or  Hcrvico  of  tho 
Lord,  whii'h  jjfivi'H  hu|»u  of  ho  ;j;roat  a  ri'('oni|»»!nH«',  uncKjr  any 
jtrutcxl?  4.  Tho  m'li  ahuniH — but  nicrchantH  ('N[)(mn  to  tho 
mmS  and  greafor  danj^ors  their  nioiny,  their  tfoodH,  tlieir 
body,  their  soid,  their  f:iinili»'H;  and  when  they  are  broken 
and  extenuated  by  hibors,  they  htill  find  thonisolves  empty- 
handed. 

SiconJ. — A  firm  hopo  of  an  eternal  personal  reward,  and 
to  be  obtained  by  so  many  others  whom  wo  will  perhapn 
load  back  from  tho  ways  of  error,  as  alst)  tho  hope  of  increas- 
injj;  God's  then<'e  resulting  glory,  and  of  obtaining  season- 
able aid  from  (iod,  our  stay  and  support,  'i'he  horror  of 
eternal  pains,  whieh,  aceording  to  tho  judgment  already 
written,  await  the  wicked  and  slothful  servant,  and  which 
will  torture  him. 

Third. — Tho  fire,  ever  burning  in  tlio  presence  of  God, 
tho  Blessed  Virgin,  &c.  St.  Ignatius  preferred  to  live  uncer- 
tain of  his  own  salvation,  and  labor  for  his  neighbor's  soul, 
than  to  die  at  onco  with  the  certainty  of  being  saved.  Aided 
by  these  and  like  thoughts,  I  felt  arising  in  me  that  fortitude 
which  permitted  me  to  say,  when  the  storms  of  objections 
arose :  "  What  1  have  resolved,  I  have  resolved." 

Tho  objections  which  I  successively  answered,  and  my 
replies,  were  as  follows ; 


AND   MrSMlONARIEa. 


460 


i<l  l)y  rnnklnflf 
cerlHiiily  n<»t 
i,  Hiul  sorrow!* 
lo'mtn  of  vitiw, 
i»)on.     n.  Tho 

0  of  country, 
il  wutcr ;  nntl 
>Htli  *io  tlioy 
oin  eqtiitablo, 
orvico  ot'  tho 
HIS  'indtT  any 
'xpimn  to  tho 

P»()(1h,  thoir 
y  nrt!  broken 
lelves  enipty- 

1  reward,  and 
will  perhaps 

ipo  of  iiicriias- 
iiiiiig  Rcason- 
'lio  horror  of 
iient  alroady 
t,  and  which 

cnce  of  God, 
to  live  uncer- 
ghbor's  soul, 
ivod.  Aided 
that  fortitude 
of  objections 

red,  and  my 


Firtt  of^Wtlm.~-Yim  munt  hnvo  »  vocation. 

Iin>fy>—\.  hut   it  need   not  U  conlirrncd    l.y  miracinB 
2.   r  am  alro«.|y  „  pri.^t,  and  it  i.  rath.,r  lat«  to  raiw)  d...ibf,* 
nn  to  n.y  v.,rath,n.     H..|t.  r  ...xaininM  a  v.H;ati..n   k-foro  ordL 
tiution,  than  h...itato  aftor  In^^ing  initiaf.MJ  into  tho  holy  „,in- 
iHtry.     It  rr.,niro8  a»  n.ud.  divino  vo.!atiou  to  U  a  parihh 
I'nr»l,  w.fh  euro  of  «ouIh  in  Hel^iun,.     Neither  advantaL^n 
I.ur«nt«,  lovo  of  hon.o.  nor  a  clin^inj^  to  ono'n  native  H.,ii 
"'"1  I'oUMo  by  puerile  ;  'Toction,  «ivo  Hurer  te.tin.ony  in  tho 
choM-e  of  a  Htato  of  life.     We  have  rarely  ..en  an  excuse  of 
'->n-vocation  alleged.     Wlu-n  a  rieh  benefice  i»  vftca..t,  no 
powerful  motives  are  needed  to  induce  most  men  to  accept- 
but,  on  the  (rontrary,  to  prevent  them  from  seizing.     So  that 
wh.-n  you  ca.,  get  an  advuntageoun  ,,oHf,  you  And  a  voca- 
tioM  ;  but   when  there    is  qu,.Htion   of  going  fr,    ur.dertako 
labors  elsewhere,  vocation  is  doubtful.     Then  the  vocation  is 
not  wanting  to  bin.  that  is  called;  but  here  and  there  the 
one  called   is  wanting  to  his  vocation.    Non  deat  vocato 
vocatio,  sed  pmitii  vocntioni  vocatua. 

Second  ohJeclion.-Thii  faithful  in  Belgium  also  require 
succor.  * 

Reply.— Ou\y  those  who  wish  to  need  succor,  need  if 
those  who  do  not  wish,  do  not  need  it.  At  least,  there  is 
certamly  more  need  in  America,  where  there  are  not  two 
priests  to  a  league,  but  not  even  one  priest  to  be  found  for  a 
hu.idred  leagues  at  a  time,  while  Catholics  multiply;  and, 
moreover,  the  word  sowed  produces  fruit  a  hundredfold-! 
that  word,  now  so  unpalatable  to  most  Belgians. 

Tldrd  obJection.—Tho  people  will  perhaps  say:  If  all  the 
good  go,  what  v/ill  become  of  us  ? 

neply.—Who  are  you  that  suffer  yourself  to  be  called 
good  ?  Trust  in  your  vocation,  expecting  all  from  God's 
„  I  Qi  nvxiiivi  tnc  wiuica,  wflo  negioci  Uiuir  serious 


450 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


amciulineiit,  sliould  lc:vvo  tlioir  country  to  go  to  liinds  wliilo 
for  the  liHivo.st,  nor  will  ull  tlio  i^ood  <>;o.  If  even  this  liui)- 
pcned  by  n  just  judginoiit  of  (jod,  ho  is  Ihc  Mjistcji' — let  him 
do  what  is  goo<l  in  his  Kight;  but,  meanwhile,  what  evil 
hast  thou  prevented  in  thy  country  ?  what  errors  hast  thou 
faced  ?  what  corruplit)iis  hasL  thou  extirpated  ?  wliut  infrac- 
tions luist  thou  not  consented  to  ?  etc.,  etc.  Weep,  then, 
over  thyself,  and  take  j»ity  on  thy  own  soul.  If  apostolic 
men  had  remained  in  tl\eir  own  lands,  and  they  were  few 
enough,  we  should  not  have  been  Christians  this  day. 
Should  we  not,  then,  pity  our  brethren  ? 

Fourth  objection, — Wo  need  means,  money,  aptitude. 

Replij. — As  to  means  and  aptitude,  tlio  judgment  of  them 
must  be  left  to  prudent  men,  who  do  not  belong  to  the 
family,  and  who,  although  not  bound  to  oblige  themselves  to 
the  same,  are  not  zealous  towards  those  whom  the  thinir 
concerns.     As  to  money,  God  will  provide  it,  my  son. 

Fifth  ohjection. — Our  parents,  who  need  help  or  consola- 
tion, will  be  afflicted. 

Be])!)/. — Remember  that  the  priest  belongs  to  tlie  Lord, 
and  not  to  his  father.  Assist  your  parents  as  much  as  you 
can,  and  provide  for  the  future  ;  but  remember,  too,  that 
you  must  bo  about  your  heavenly  Father's  business.  As  to 
the  precept  of  leaving  father  and  mother  for  God's  sake,  ex- 
amine the  Scriptures,  the  a"ts  and  lives  of  the  apostles,  and 
the  examples  of  the  saints. 

You  see,  then,  dear  friend,  what  induced  me  to  undertake 
this  voyage.  I  have  never  yet  repented  coming ;  and  if  any 
one  of  these  motives  can  be  useful  to  another,  I  willingly 
permit  him  to  adopt  and  confirm  it  by  new  and  better  ones. 
There  are,  doubtless,  many,  stronger  and  more  cogent, 
which  your  zeal  and  serious  considerations  may  suggest. 
But  as  those  I  have  set  forth  sufBce  for  me,  ^Yho  am  so  ob- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


467 


lo  IhikIs  vvliilo 
even  this  liup- 
rusU'i' — let  liiiii 
liilo,  what  evil 
Tors  liMst  tlioii 
1  ?  wliut  iiifnic- 
.  Weep,  then, 
I.  If  npostolic 
they  were  few 
iiiiis    this    day. 

■,  aptitude, 
gineiit  of  them 
belong  to  tho 
e  themselves  to 
hom  the  thing 
my  son. 
elp  or  cousola- 

fs  to  the  Lord, 
IS  much  as  you 
liber,  too,  that 
Lisiness.  As  to 
God's  sake,  ex- 
le  apostles,  and 

le  to  undertake 
ng ;  and  if  any 
^hor,  T  willingly 
md  better  ones, 
more  cogent, 
i  may  suggest. 
vho  am  so  ob- 


tuso,  and  whoso  heart  is  so  t    w  and  perverse,  I  do  not  see 
why  I  should  insist  further. 

I  commend  myself  earnestly  to  your  prayers,  your  holy 
sacrifices,  and  other  pious  actions,  and  subscribe  myself 

Your  very  devoted  servant,  ^ 

C.  NEniNCKx,         I 
Misaionary  in  America, 


Letter  of  ArcTibialiop  Carroll. 


Sir: 


Baltimobe,  April  1, 1806. 


Your  very  estimable  friend,  Mr.  Nerinckx,  has  sent  me, 
from  Kentucky,  an  account  of  his  apostolic  labors,  a  large 
package  of  letters  addressed  to  you,  which  I  have  the  honor 
of  transmitting  by  a  vessel  that  is  to  leave  this  port  to-mor- 
row for  Amsterdam.  While  transmitting  them  I  take  a 
liberty  which  you  will  surely  pardon  me. 

From  the  description  given  me  by  Mr.  Nerinckx,  lara  aware 
of  your  zeal  for  the  increase  of  the  true  religion  in  the  diocese 
which  Providence  has  confided  to  me,  and  of  your  kindness  in 
mteresting  yourself  to  send  ecclesiastics  whose  life  and  talents 
will  edify  the  faithful  and  maintain  the  faith.  Ah  !  sir,  if  it 
were  possible  for  you  to  find  and  persuade  five  or  six  priests 
hke  Mr.  Nerinckx,  it  is  incredible  how  much  they  would  ex- 
tend in  these  vast  regions  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Although  he  has  but  imperfectly  acquired  our  language, 
still  every  account  from  Kentucky  already  speaks  of  him  as 
a  man  who  has  won  the  respect,  attachment,  confidence,  and 
veneration  of  the  whole  people.  I  feel  only  one  anxiety 
about  him ;  it  is,  that  incessantly  engaged  in  tho  functions 
of  his  apostolate,  he  will  be  exhausted  by  toil. 

His  friend,  Mr.  Cuypers,  who  was  to  have  been  his  co- 

89 


458 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


a(Jjutor  and  consolation,  sank  under  tho  delicacy  of  his  con- 
stitution before  commencing  his  career  in  tho  uussion  which 
awaited  him.     I  do  not  know  whether  it  w«a  in  his  voyajro 
to  Amsterdam,  or  a  few  days  after  his  landing,  tiiat  he  was 
attacked  with  a  dysentery.     It  did  not  at  first  seem  danjrer- 
ous.    I  advised  him  to  go  to  Georgetown  College,  the  heL    i- 
iest^placo  in  the  country,  both  to  recruit  and  to  become 
more  familiar  with  our  language,  before  starting  to  join  M. 
Neriiickx.     Notwithstanding  all  possible  care,  his  disease 
grew  worse,  and  he  died  a  few  days  before  Christmas,  in  the 
arms  of  my  coadjutor.     You  will  say  with  me,  that  his 
death,  disastrous  for  my  diocese,  is  only  the  greatest  advan- 
tage to  him,  by  advancing  the  day  of  his  happy  entrance 
into  heaven.     His  piety  made  a  lively  impression  on  all  at 
the  college,  and  served  to  excite  all  to  the  exercises  of  virtue. 
Receive,  sir,  the  assurance  of  my  gratitude,  respect,  and  of 
my  desire  to  serve  you  when  in  my  power. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir. 

Your  most  ob't  serv't, 
+  John,  Bishop  of  Baltimore. 


Additional  Eemarlcs  ly  Father  De  Smet. 

Mr.  Nerinckx  was  strongly  attached  to  our  Society.  On 
every  occasion  he  testified  his  high  esteem  for  it.  He  made 
two  voyages  to  Belgium,  in  1817  and  1821,  and  each  time 
obtained  several  postulants  for  the  Society— cheerfully  com- 
plying with  the  request  made  by  Father  Anthony  Kohlmann, 
then  Provincial  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  in  Maryland  who 
begged  him  to  obtain,  if  possible,  young  men  disposed  to 
labor  in  the  American  mission. 

On  his  first  voyage,  Mr.  Nerinckx  was  accompanied  back 
by  Mr.  <    .  in,  of  the  diocese  of  Ghent,  and  by  four  young 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


459 


icy  of  his  con- 
mission  which 
i  in  liis  voyago 
ig,  that  ho  was 
t  seem  danijer- 
ige,  the  hei.  T  1- 
■nd  to  become 
ing  to  join  M. 
re,  his  disease 
ristmas,  in  the 
me,  that  hia 
greatest  advan- 
appy  entrance 
sion  on  all  at 
■cises  of  virtue, 
respect,  and  of 


sir. 


serv't, 
f  Baltimore. 


net. 

Society.  On 
it.  He  made 
nd  each  time 
leerfully  com- 
oy  Kohlmann, 
faryland,  who 
n  disposed  to 

mpanied  back 

)V  four  vouno' 

"         —  ^ o 


men,  viz. :  James  Van  do  Vcl.lo,  of  U-b.-ko,  near  Termonde 
professor  in  the  Petit  Svminaire,  of  Mechlin  ;  Sa.inon,  from' 
noar  Turnhout ;  VerJK^en,  of  Merxplas,  wIk,  had  niade  the 
Spanish  c'linpaign  under  Napoleon  ;  and  Timmcrmans,  of 
Turnhout,  secretary  of  the  commissary  of  the  district.  Chris- 
tian do  Smet,  of  Marcke,  near  Audenarde,  and  I'eter  de  Meyer, 
of  Segelsom,  joined  this  little  hand  of  missionaries,  in  order  to 
enter  the  Society  of  Jesus  as  lay-brothers. 

Mr.  Cousin  died  at  White  Marsh,  at  the  close  of  his  no- 
vitiate.    Mr.  Van  de  Velde  died  bishop  of  Natoliez,  and  I 
Imvo  already  given  his  biography.     Father  Verheyen,  mis- 
sionary in  Maryland,  there  ceased  to  live  in  1823.    His  great 
zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  his  solid  virtues,  attracted 
to  him  the  esteem  and  respect  of  all  who  were  so  happy  as 
to  know  him.     Father  Timmcrmans,  socius  of  Father  Van 
Quickenborne,  finished  his  career  at  St.  Stanislaus,  Missouri, 
in  1824.     He  was  an  indefatigable  missionary,  and  one  who 
rendered  great  service  to  religion  in  those  districts.     Brother 
Christian  de  Smet  died  at  the  college  of  Georgetown,  D.  C. 
after  having  been  a  model  of  a  true  and  holy  religious'during 
the  years  that  he  passed  in  the  Society.     Brother  Pierre  de 
Meyer  is  the  sole  survivor  of  the  party.     I  obtained  from  Mr. 
Nerinckx  some  quite  interesting  particulars  concer-  "ig  their 
long  and  dangerous  voyage,  which  are  still  fresh  .n  the  mem- 
ory cf  our  good  Brother  Pierre. 

They  embarked  on  the  16th  of  May,  at  the  island  of 
lexel,  Holland,  on  the  brig  Mars,  Captain  Hall,  of  Baltimore. 
The  voyage  was  long  and  dangerous.  Scarcely  had  they 
entered  the  English  Channel  than  a  storm  suprised  them, 
and  threatened  to  submerge  them.  One  of  the  sailors,  precip-' 
itated  from  the  topmast  into  the  sea,  was  lost.  Universal 
fear  and  consternation  reigned  on  board.  It  was  Whit-Sun- 
day.   During  three  days  the  vessel,  without  sails  and  with- 


i 


460 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


I  ■  ; 


^15   ' 

'la 


out  ft  lielm,  beaten  by  the  winds  and  waves,  -floated  about  at 
the  nieroy  of  l  lie  ocean. 

In  another  tempest  the  sliip  sprunc:  a  leak,— large,  and 
deenied   irreparable.      During  more  tlian  three  weeks   all 
the  pumps  were  in  action,  without  interruption,  niglxt  or 
day,  and  all,  passengers  and  crew,  even  the  venerabS  mis- 
sionaries, were  obliged  to  work.      Happily  there  were  on 
board    about   a    hundred   emigrants,  Swiss   and   Germans. 
Without  their  aid  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  save  the 
brig.     When  approaching  the  J3anks  of  Newfoundland  the 
Mars  fell  in  with  a  piratical  vessel,  which  gave  her  chase 
and  succeeded  in  boarding  her,  after  a  long  pursuit.     The 
captain  of  the  pirates,  named  Moony,  was  a  native  of  Balti- 
more. ^  Far  from  manifesting  hostile  intentions,  he  appeared 
full  of  joy  at  meeting  a  countryman.     As  the  Mars  was  tail- 
ing in  provisions,  Captain  Hall  bought  several  barrels  of  bis- 
cuit, salt  beef,  some  tuns  of  fresh  water,  and  a  great  quantity 
of  dried  fiuits  and  wine,  which  the  pirate  had  in  abundance, 
having  plundered,  three  days  before,  a  Spanish  merchant-ship, 
on  its  way  to  Spain. 

Neither  the  captain  nor  the  mate  of  the  Jfars  was  quali- 
fied for  his  post.  Their  calculations  always  varied.  After 
passing  the  Azores,  they  steered  straight  for  the  tropics. 
Then  finding  themselves  too  far  south,  they  turned  towards 
the  Banks  of  Newfoundland.  Sailing  thus  at  random,  the 
vessel,  one  fine  morning,  was  on  the  point  of  striking  on  the 
dangerous  shore  of  northern  Long  Island.  At  last,  after  a 
voyage  of  sixty-six  days,  they  made  Chesapeake  Bay,  July 
26th,  and  on  the  28th  reached  Baltimore  in  safety.  , 

In  1821,  the  Very  Rev.  M.  Nerinckx  once  more  visited  his 
native  country,  in  order  to  obtain  spiritual  succor  necessary 
to  his  numerous  missions  in  Keutucky.  On  this  occasion 
the  Father  Provincial  of  Maryland  again  renewed  with  earn- 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


461 


loatcd  about  at 

ik, — largo,  and 
ree  weeks  all 
ition,  night  or 
venerable  rnis- 
tliere  were  on 
and  Gerinans. 
jle  to  save  the 
foiindland  the 
ave  her  chase 
pursuit.  The 
lative  of  Balti- 
5,  he  appeared 
M'ars  was  fail- 
barrels  of  bis- 
great  quantity 
in  abundance, 
nerchant-sliip, 

ars  was  quali- 
i^aried.  After 
'  the  tropics, 
irned  towards 
;  random,  the 
triking  on  the 
.t  last,  after  a 
ike  Bay,  July 
fety.  I 

3re  visited  his 
cor  necessary 
this  occasion 
(id  with  earn- 


estness his  request  to  conduct  hither  a  good  reinforcement 
of  young  Belgian  missionaries. 

During  the  sojijurn  of  the  zealous  missionary  in  Belgium, 
some  professors  and  students  in  the  Lesser  Seminary  of  Mech- 
lin conceived  the  idea  and  formed  the  intention  of  entering 
into  the  Society  of  Jesus,  to  tlevote  themselves  to  the  salva- 
tion of  souls  in  the  United  States.  They  soon  had  an  pppor- 
tunity  of  rca'-'ing  their  noble  design.  The  Very  Kev.  M. 
Nerinckx  app  red  in  their  midst.  Tl  e  picture  which  he 
drew  of  the  abandoned  state  of  the  poor  Catholics  in  these 
immense  countries,  in  which,  for  want  of  priests,  thousands 
forget  or  forsake  the  Faith,  excited  their  fervent  sympathy 
and  zeal.  He  spoke  to  them  at  length  of  Kentucky,  where 
the  Lord  had  wrought  so  many  wonders  by  his  ministry,  and 
painted  to  them  in  living  colors  the  absolute  abandonment 
in  which  the  Lidian  tribes  of  the  Great  Desert  roamed,  to 
the  conversion  of  whom  tlie  Sons  of  St.  Ignatius  had,  at  all 
times,  devoted  themselves.  The  young  candidates  at  once 
presented  themselves  to  the  respectable  missionary,  resolved, 
if  he  would  consent,  to  accompany  him  to  America.  This 
consent  was  easily  obtained,  and  he  received  them  with  open 
arms.  They  afterwards  were  forced  to  overcome  numerous 
and  great  obstacles  which  opposed  their  departure,  arising 
from  their  parents  ^nd  the  government  of  Holland. 

The  following  ,re  the  n..mes  of  these  young  candidates 
who  presented  themselves  to  the  Rev.  M.  Nerinckx,  to  enter 
the  Society  of  Jesus,  in  America.  I  commence  with  the 
eldest :  Messrs.  Felix  Verreydt,  of  Diest ;  Josse  Van  Assche, 
of  St.  Amand ;  Peter  Joseph  Verhaegen,  of  Haecht ;  John 
Baptist  Smedts,  of  Rolslaer ;  John  Anthony  Elet,  of  St. 
Amand ;  Peter  John  de  Smet,  of  Tern.onde.* 

*  Father  Elet  and  Father  Smedts  are  dead,  and  sketches  of  them  will 
be  found  in  this  volume. 

39» 


'■m 


462 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


I 


It  wns  agreed  with  M.  Nerinckx  that  his  six  companions 
shouia  meet  in  Anisterdam,  in  order  to  make  all  the  prepara- 
tions necessary  for  the  long  voyage  over  the  Atlantic,  and  also 
to  make  ulterior  arrangements  for  eluding  tho  vigilance  of 
government,  which  had  given  the  authorities  strict  and  severe 
orders  to  arrest  them.     Tliey  succeeded  in  gaining  the  ren- 
dezvous.    Ou  the  2Gth  of  July,  1821,  they  arrived  at  Am- 
sterdam.    On  the  31st  of  the  month,  the  Feast  of  St.  Igna- 
tius, they  quitted  the  city  and  embarked  in  a  little  boat,  in 
order  to  repair  to  tho  island  of  Texel,  in  tho  Zuyder-Zee. 
The  following  day  they  stoppe<l  at  Wieringen,  where  they 
visited   a   Catholic   churcli,   and,   some   hours    after,   they 
landed  at  Texel  and  took  lodging  in  a  Catholic  house  that 
some  friends  in  Amsterdam  had  prepared  for  them  before- 
hand.    At  length,  on  the  15th  of  August,  they  got  on  board 
tho  brig  Columbia,  aftei*  having  gained  the  open  sea  in  a 
little  pilot-boat,  which  had  passed  the  Ilelder  without  being 
observed  by  the  police.     Tho  voyage,  therefore,  commenced 
under  the  auspices  of  our  Holy  Mother,  on  the  day  of  her 
glorious  assumption  into  heaven.      We   experienced,  it  is 
true,  some  storms  and  some  heavy  gales  of  wind ;   but  all 
passed  without  the  least  unfortunate  incident. 
_  At  the  end  of  forty  days  we  disembarked  in  the  beautiful 
city  of  Philadelphia.     Tlie  next  day  we  exchanged  adieux 
with  the  venerable  and  worthy  M.  Nerinckx,  a  m  m  eminent 
for  sanctity  and  learning,  and  full  of  zeal  for  the  salvation  of 
souls   justly  deserving  to  be   styled  one    of  the  principal 
apostles  of  tl.e  American  Churcl,,  as  the  author  of  the  biog- 
raphy whica.  I  have  recapitulated  in- this  letter  has  so  well 
displayed  him.     We  quitted  him,  filled  with  reverence  and 
respect  for  his  person.     Tiie  sage  oot.nsels  which  he  unceas- 
ingly gave  us,  and  ih.  example  of  his  eminent  virtues  that 
we  had  beneath  our  eyes  during  the  fony  davs'  pa.^sa<r<,  have 


&  ? 


AND  MISSIONABIES. 


4«8 


X  companions 

11  the  propara- 
juitic,  and  also 
e  vigilance  of 
ict  and  severe 
ning  the  ren- 
rivcd  at  Am- 
t  of  St.  Igna- 
little  boat,  in 
3  Zuyder-Zee. 
1,  where  they 
i    after,   they 
c  house  that 
them  before- 
got  on  board 
pen  sea  in  a 
vithout  being 
,  commenced 
e  day  of  her 
rienced,  it  is 
ind ;   but  all 


ever  remained  present  to  the  moraory  of  his  companions. 
We  enjoyed  the  distinguished  favor  of  possessing  him  some 
time  at  the  novitiate  of  St.  Stanislaus,  Missouri,  a  few  days 
before  his  death. 

In  union  with  your  holy  sacrifices  and  prayers,  I  have  the 
honor  to  be, 

Reverend  Father, 

Your  devoted  servant, 
P.  J.  De  Smkt,  S.  J. 


the  beautiful 
nged  adieux 
IB  m  eminent 
!  salvation  of 
he  principal 
of  the  biog- 
'  has  so  well 
verence  and 
Ii  lie  unccas- 
\irtuc'8  that 
H.-'Saii'c,  liave 


404: 


WICSTEUN   MISSIONS 


Letter  XXXVllI. 

To  THE  Editor  of  thk  Piiftcis  Historiques,  nuussELe. 
Charks  Fd'u  Van  Quidcnhorne. 

Nkw  Yoijk,  May  IG,  1857. 

Rev.  and  dear  Fatfikr: 

This  notice  of  the  Rev.  Charles  Van  Quickcnborne  lias 
been  based  on  a  sketch  of  his  life,  in  the  archives  of  the  vice- 
province  of  Missouri,  and  I  have  inserted  some  facts  from  my 
own  knowledge. 

Father  Charles  Felix  Van  Quickenbcrno  was  the  first 
Jesuit  who  appeared  in  the  great  valley  of  the  Mississippi 
after  the  re-establishment  of  the  Society  of  Jesus.  He  was  a 
man  full  of  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls.  The  conversion 
of  the  Indians  was,  in  particular,  the  object  of  his  i)redilec- 
tion  and  of  his  prayers.  Long  will  his  name  be  held  in 
benediction,  and  his  memory  celebrated  in  the  places  which 
had  the  happiness  of  receiving  the  fruits  of  his  numerous  la- 
bors and  of  his  truly  apostolic  virtues. 

He  was  born  in  the  diocese  of  Ghent,  at  Teteghem,  near 
Deynze,  on  the  21st  of  January,  1788.  Having  commenced 
his  studies  at  Deynze,  he  went  to  Ghent  to  complete  them, 
and  there  he  embraced  the  ecclesiastical  state.  Van  Quick- 
cnborne constantly  distinguished  himself  by  his  talents  and 
Lis  application.  Ordained  priest,  he  was  sent  to  Kouleis,  to 
teach  belles  lettres.  He  leinained  there  four  years  ;  that  is 
to  say,  until  the  moment  that  the  ecclesiastical  seminary  was 
closed.    A  short  time  after  his  return  to  Ghent  he  was  scut 


And   MlflSlONARIES. 


465 


s,  BuirgsELS. 


Muy  18,  1857. 

ikcnboriio  has 
:;3  of  the  vico- 
'acts  from  my 

vas  the  first 
le  Mississippi 
8.  He  was  a 
10  conversion 
his  ])redilec- 
3  be  held  in 
phices  which 
numerous  la- 

teghem,  near 
'  commenoed 
nplete  theui, 
Van  Quick- 
talents  and 
0  Jloulers,  to 
3ars  ;  tiiat  is 
culinary  was 
he  was  scut 


as  vicar  into  a  parish  whore  he  had  the  singular  happiness, 
ns  ho  frequently  said  with  pleasure,  of  ihuUi^ir  Mr.  Cum.]\n 
ns  Dean.  The  friendship  and  the  distin^Mjished  virtue  of  this 
venerated  priest  exerted  a  very  salutary  influeneo  over  the 
mind  of  the  young  vicar,  an.l  made  an  impression  which  was 
never  obliterated. 

About  this  time  the  Society  of  Jesus,  in  the  expectation  of 
Its  approaching  re-establishment,  had  prepared  a  novitiate 
at-Kumbeke,  near  lloulers.  There,  yielding  to  the  impulse 
ot  his  zoal.  Van  Quickenborne  presented  himself,  on  the  14th 
of  April,  1815.  From  that  moment  ho  sighed  for  the  mis- 
sion of  America. 

Scarcely  had  ho  finished  his  novitiate  than  he  obtained 
from  Father  Thaddeus  Hrzozowski,  then  general,  tlie  per- 
mission  to  consecrate  himself  entirely  to  the  desired  mission. 
He  embarked  at  Amsterdam.  After  a  navigation  fraught 
with  perils,  he  had  the  happiness  of  reaching  America,  near 
the  close  of  the  year  1817. 

At  the  opening  of  the  year  1819  he  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  novitiate  of  Maryland,  at  White  Marsh.  He 
displayed,  in  this  responsible  position,  all  the  means  which  it 
furnished  him  fur  the  salvation  of  souls.  Superior  and  master 
of  novices,  he  became,  at  the  same  time,  farmer,  carpenter, 
and  mason.  He  erected  a  handsome  stone  church  on  the 
novitiate  grounds,  and  built  a  brir  one  at  Annapolis.  At  the 
same  time  ho  attended,  as  a  missionary,  a  vast  district,  which, 
during  several  years,  he  was  to  evangelize  alone,  before  a* 
companion  could  second  his  charitable  toil. 

His  labors  were  precious  for  Maryland  ;  but  the  poverty 
of  that  mission  was  extreme.  This  led  the  Rt.  Rev.  Wm.  dii 
Bonrg,  bishop  of  both  Louisiana's,  to  recpiest  that  the  novi- 
tiate be  transferred  to  Missouri.  The  superior  of  the  mission 
consented  to  it.     Father  Van  Quickenborne,  therefore,  set 


466 


WKSTERN    MIfifilONS 


1 

1 

1 

out  with  two  F/itliors,  Hovcn  scholastic  novicoi,  Jind  thr«}o  oo- 
a<ljiitor  brothorH.  Aftor  n  journoy  of  1000  miles,  amid  tho 
heat  of  summer,  with  contimiiil  I'ntigut's  and  privations,  ho 
arrived  uear  Kiorissaut,  where  he  commeiieed  tho  iit)vitiato 
of  Saint  Stanislaus.  To  form  this  new  establishment,  he 
found  no  other  materials  than  those  he  drew  himself  froi  .  tho 
forests  and  tlu^  rocky  bed  of  the  river.  Ihii  his  ardor  for 
labor  was  dauntetl  by  no  difticulty  ;  his  indexible  courago 
■was  not  to  bo  arrested  by  any  obstacle,  llo  was  always  tho 
first  at  work,  llo  seemed  to  multiply  himself,  going  from 
one  workman  to  another,  exciting  and  encouraging  every  one 
by  his  example  far  more  than  by  his  words.  Endowed  with 
an  admirable  patience,  and  with  a  great  spirit  of  mortifica- 
tion, ho  was  never  exacting  to  any  one  but  himself,  listened 
only  to  tlie  enthusiasm  which  inspired  him  to  spend  himself 
without  reserve,  and  never  know  what  it  was  to  spare  his 
own  health  or  strength,  lie  was  near  becoming  a  victim  to 
this  self-forgetful ness.  Ono  day  he  was  working  at  the 
squaring  of  a  timber,  aided  in  this  labor  by  a  young  novice. 
The  latter,  not  yet  versed  in  the  work,  used  his  axe  with  an 
eagerness  of  wliich  ho  was  far  from  imagining  the  conse- 
quences. Right  glad  to  perceive  the  wood  yielding  under 
his  blows,  ho  only  thought  of  multiplying  them.  One  of 
them,  ill-directed,  struck  the  Father  on  tho  foot.  Notwith- 
standing this  wound,  and  the  loss  of  blood,  the  Fatlier  did 
not  give  up  his  labor  until  he  found  liimself  fainting,  then 
only  would  he  take  a  seat  and  allow  the  cut  to  be  bound  up 
with  a  handkerchief.  The  laborers,  meanwhile,  were  three 
miles  from  the  farm,  which  served  them  as  a  common  resi- 
dence. The  Father  endeavored  to  return  there  on  foot ;  but, 
on  the  way,  the  pain  arising  from  tho  wound  became  so  vio- 
lent that  he  was  constrained  to  yield  and  suffer  himself  to  be 
put  on  the  horso  that  had  been  sent  for  him.     A  burnino- 


md  threo  co- 
ck, am  ill  tho 
>rivatiotis,  ho 
tlio  novitiate 
iliHiitnent,  be 
self  from  the 
lis  ardor  for 
ihle  coiirajifo 
s  always  tho 

>  g'^'"l;f  from 
i\(^  every  ono 
tulowucl  with 
of  mortifica- 
isolf,  listened 
pcnd  himself 
to  spare  his 
1^  a  victim  to 
king  at  the 
oung  novice, 
axo  with  an 
J  the  couse- 
ilding  under 
m.  One  of 
I.  Notwith- 
5  Fatlicr  did 
lintino;  then 
be  bound  up 
,  were  three 
)minon  rcsi- 
n  foot ;  but, 
lame  so  vio- 
limsolf  to  be 
A  burning 


AND   MTSRIONARTBfl. 


467 


fever  obliged  hiir)  to  keep  bin  bed  for  Bcvcral  days.  As  soon 
A8  he  became  a  little  better  ho  desired  to  return  to  his  work, 
but  he  muHt  U8(!  the  horse.  Thence  arose  a  new  accident. 
The  shores  of  the  river  are  swampy  in  ccrtaiti  places ;  the 
borse  sunk  into  ono  of  these  mires;  the  Father  needed  all  his 
calm  and  coolness  to  regain  tho  solid  ground  ;  but  all  the 
efforts  that  ho  made  to  extricate  his  poor  animal  prtwed  use- 
less ;  he  was  obliged  to  see  him  perish.  These  accidenta, 
instead  of  shaking  his  constancy,  had  tho  effect  of  rendering 
him  ujoro  firmly  determined  to  accomplish  his  purposes.  It 
was  surrounded  by  difiiculties,  which  would  have  appeared 
insurmountable  to  a  courage  less  heroic,  that  he  constructed 
the  novitiate  of  Florissant,  aided  by  his  Belgian  novices.  la 
1828  he  undertook  the  construction  of  a  university  at  St. 
Louis.  lie  also  built,  at  St.  Charles,  a  stone  church  and  a 
convent  for  the  religious  of  tho  Sacred  Heart,  as  well  as  a 
residiiuce.  These  toilsome  undertakings,  and  all  tho  mani- 
fold cares  arising  fiotn  them,  seemed  but  to  freslien  his  ac- 
tivity :  he  only  finished  one  enterprise  to  begin  a  new  one. 

Florissant  and  St.  Charles  becatrie  so  many  rallying-pointa 
around  which  little  colonies  of  Catholics  and  Protestants 
formed  and  multiplied.  The  missionaries  went  in  every  di- 
rection to  afi'ord  spiritual  aid  for  so  many  abandoned  souls, 
too  often  more  destitute  of  tho  riches  of  grace  than  of  those 
of  earth.  Father  Van  Quickcnborne  devoted  himself  to 
these  apostolic  courses  with  real  gladness  of  heart ;  his  con- 
Buming  zeal  found  the  sweetest  consolation  in  the  conversions 
which  he  efiected.  Tho  Protestants  testified  the  greatest 
respect  towards  him,  although  then  (in  1824,  1825,  etc.),  as 
at  present,  their  ministers  spared  no  means  to  fetter  his  pro- 
ceedings and  arrest  the  effects  of  his  zeal,  Tjiey  depicted  our 
religion  as  an  assemblage  of  absurd  and  contemptible  doc- 
trines ;  they  drew  the  most  revolting  portrait  of  the  mission- 


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468 


WESTEBN  MISSIONS 


ary.  Among  certain  of  the  lower  classes,  they  even  went  so 
far  as  to  make  him  a  monster  with  cloven  feet,  horns  on  his 
head,  and  armed  with  claws.  Ileuce,  when  the  Father  ap- 
peared among  them  for  the  first  time,  these  poor  people 
flocked  around,  scanned  him  attentively  from  head  to  foot, 
and  finding  him  like  other  men,  they  immediately  listened 
to  hira,^nd  were  converted  without  the  least  difllculty. 

In  one  of  his  rides,  there  happened  to  him  one  of  those 
singular  facts  in  which  he  recognized  more  particularly  the 
action  of  divine  Providence.     Arrived  at  a  place  where  the 
road  branched,  he  intended  taking  the  more  beaten  road, 
but  his  horse  resisted.    In  vain  he  urged  him  to  obey ;  the- 
animal  prevailed  over  the  missionary,  and  darted  rapidly  into 
the  other  and  less  agreeable  way.    The  route  crossed  a  for- 
est.    Night  came  on,  and  he  found  himself  obliged  to  stop 
at  a  little  cottage,  as  poor  as  solitary,  and,  as  it  were,  lost 
by  its  little  dimensions  in  the  towering  wood.    The  Father 
met  with  a  cold  reception.     As  they  perceived  that  he  was 
a  missionary  priest  a  great  reserve  was  maintained.     Supper 
•was  indeed  served  for  him,  but  they  spoke  with  him  in  a 
timid  and  embarrassed  manner.     He  understood  the  cause. 
Tn  a  corner  of  the  room  lay  a  child  sick  with  a  fever,  and  in 
extremities.     The   missionary  asked  the  distracted  mother 
"whether  her  boy  hud  received  baptism.    On  being  answered 
in  the  negative,  he  began  to  explain  the  necessity  of  this 
sacrament.     "God  himself  sent  me  here,"  added  he,  "to 
open  to  your  child  the  portals  of  heaven ;  you  must  hasten, 
for  soon  he  will  be  no  more !"     The  mother  replied  disdain- 
fully, that  she  would  never  sufier  a  priest  to  baptize  her  son  ; 
that  she  did  not  believe  in  baptism.     It  was  in  vain  to  insist. 
As  the  child  was  consumed  with  thirst  the  Father,  feijrniucr 
to  renounce  his  first  idea,  very  kindly  attempted  to  relieve  it 
from  time  to  time,  by  giving  it  a  little  water,  and  at  a 


en  went  so 
>i'ns  on  his 
Father  ap- 
oor  people 
id  to  foot, 
jly  hsteued 
cjultv. 

6  of  those 
cularly  the 
where  the 
aten  road, 
obey;  ther 
apidly  into 
•ssed  a  for- 
ed  to  stop 
were,  lost 
'he  Father 
lat  he  was 
1.    Supper 
him  in  a 
the  cause, 
r'er,  and  in 
3d  mother 
\  answered 
ity  of  this 
i  he,  «to 
1st  hasten, 
d  disdain- 
:e  her  son  ; 
1  to  insist. 
r,  feigning 
I  relieve  it 
and  at  a 


AND  MISSION  ABIES. 


46» 


moment  when  the  mother,  occupied  with  other  things, 
turned  her  attention  elsewhere,  he  baptized  the  child,  who 
soared  to  heaven  a  few  moments  after. 

A  short  time  after  this,  passing  near  the  same  cottage,  the 
Father  called  again  and  asked  to  see  the  mother  of  the 
child.  This  time  he  found  her  aQablo  and  obliging.  She 
evinced  a  very  great  desire  to  have  some  information  con- 
cerning the  Catholic  religion.  Soon  she  avowed  that  all  she 
had  heard  on  the  necessity  of  baptism  troubled  her,  and  that 
she  deplored  it  as  a  misfortune  that  she  had  deprived  her 
son  of  so  great  a  grace.  "Console  yourself,"  said  the  kind 
Father,  "your  son  received  baptism,  and  he  now  enjoys  the 
beatific  vision.  lie  now  intercedes  for  you  with  God.  Re- 
ceive baptism,  and  you  will  one  day  share  his  happiness.'* 
These  words  produced  the  desired  etiect.  The  woman  was 
converted,  and,  with  her  whole  family,  received  baptism. 
Such  were  the  blessed  consequences  of  the  obstinacy  of  the 
horse.  Strangely  enough,  on  the  day  after,  he  followed  the 
other  road  without  any  show  of  resistance. 

The  salvatiou  of  souls  was,  with  this  apostolic  man,  an 
ever-present  thought,  desire,  and  necessity.  He  had  also  a 
wonderful  art  in  seizing  occasions  and  profiting  by  circum- 
stances. He  understood  also,  by  his  conversations  and  nar- 
ratives,  how  to  communicate  to  others  the  zeal  with  which 
he  was  inflamed.  They  were  captivated,  so  that  those  who 
could  not  assist  him  by  their  labors,  pledged  themselves,  at 
least,  to  assist  him  by  their  prayers.  Thus,  in  order  to 
engage  his  novices  to  pray  with  ardor,  he  granted  them  a 
little  feast  each  time  that  the  conversions  attained  a  certain 
number. 

The  Protestants,  we  have  already  observed,  made  eflforta 
to  throw  obstacles  in  the  path  of  tlie  man  of  God,  but  he 
had  to  struggle  especially  with  the  Methodists.     One  day 

40 


470 


WESTERN  ■  MISSIONS 


R  ■  i:!  '■' 


ho  gave  a  severe  blow  to  the  influence  of  these  noisy  secta- 
rians.     Being  on  a  mission,  he  heard  that  they  were  to  hold 
a  meeting  in  a  place  named  to  him.     For  a  long  time  he  had 
sought  an  occasion  of  coming  in  contact  with  them.    He, 
therefore,  set  out  for  the  appointed  locality,  and  endeavored 
to  attract  there  all  the  Protestants  that  he  could  find.    The 
Methodists  were  holding  their  meeting  in  the  church.     The 
Father,  on  his  arrival,  found  an  immense  concourse.     His 
religious  habit  and  his  venerable  air,  at  first  excited  a  pro- 
found astonishment  in  men,  most  of  whom  saw  a  priest  for 
the  first  time.     In   their  amazement,    several   cried   out: 
"  What  does  that  queer  man  want  ?"     The  Father  answered 
modestly,  that  he  was  desirous  of  hearing  from  their  moutha 
some  explanations  on  certain  important  points  which  con- 
cern religion,  and  begged  they  would  allow  him  to  propose 
a  few  questions.     Then,  profiting  by  the  consent  which  they 
gave  him,  he  began  to  interrogate  them  on  the  essential 
points  that  distinguish  the  true  from  the  erroneous  doctrines. 
The   ministers  wish   to  reply,  but  no  two  answer  in  the 
same  manner.    They  refute  themselves,  and  contradict  each 
other.     The  Father  insists;  they  disagree.    The  confusion 
only  increases,  to  the  great  scandal  of  the  auditors,  who  thus 
have  an  evidence  that  those  ministers,  so  habituated  to 
despise  the  priests  in  their  absence,  are  incapable  of  reply- 
ing to  them  when  they  meet  them.    The  Father  left  these 
men  disputing  (to  their  shame  and  confusion),  and  went  to 
make  a  discourse  in  the  open  air  on  the  unity,  sanctity, 
catholicity,  and  apostoHcity  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church, 
which  all  sects  and  all  their  ministers  united  can  never 
shake.     Such    astonishing    boldness,    the    talents    of   the 
preacher,  and  the  solidity  of  his  reasonings,  conciliated  the 
attention  and  respect  of  all.    He  had  gained  a  signal  vic- 
tory over  the  ministers  of  falsehood  and  calumny.    During 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


471 


a  long  period,  their  discourses  had  no  echo  in  that  place. 
Every  time  tliat  the  Father  returned  there,  they  opened  tho 
hotel  of  the  town  to  him,  that  he  might  celebrate  mass  and 
preach.  His  sermons,  every  time,  produced  numerous  con- 
versions. 

On  entering  the  apostolical  career,  Father  Van  Quicken- 
borne  enjoyed  a  robust  health;  but  the  severe  labors  and 
incessant  hardships  of  the  apostolate  undermined  his 
strength.  Ilowever,  his  mfirmities  never  cooled  the  ardor 
of  his  zeal.  Ilis  charity  and  his  confidence  in  God  seemed 
to  supply  the  weakness  of  nature,  and  God,  more  than  once, 
Beconded  his  efforts  in  a  marvellous  manner.  One  day,  while 
he  was  retained  in  his  bed  by  a  severe,  and  even  serious 
malady,  they  came  to  tell  him  that  a  poor  Catholic,  dying,  a 
hundred  miles  off,  implored  .  i  o  comforts  of  religion.  To 
the  amazement  of  all,  he  caused  a  cart  to  be  prepared, 
ordered  his  mattress  to  be  laid  in  it,  and  taking  with  him 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  and  the  oils  he  set  forth,  after  giving 
to  them  all  his  blessing.  All  received  it,  as  though  it  would 
be  the  last.  They  followed  their  kind  Father  with  fears  and 
regrets.  After  a  few  days  he  reappeared  among  ihem  quite 
triumphant ;  be  had  administered  to  the  sick  man,  and  was 
himself  perfectly  cured. 

His  apostolical  zeal  inclined  him  above  all  to  those  places 
in  which  he  saw  more  spiritual  privation  and  more  neglect. 
He  ardently  desired  to  go  and  evangelize  the  poor  Indians, 
wandering  in  the  wilderness.  He  made  several  excursions 
among*  the  Osages  and  the  lowas,  and  each  time  the  most 
precious  fruits  met  his  expectation.  In  1836,  he  succeeded, 
by  soliciting,  in  collecting  some  money  in  the  difterent 
States.  He  at  once  commenced  a  fixed  residence  among 
the  Kickapoos ;  already  he  had  built  a  house  and  chapel. 
He  had  visited  the  neighboring  tribes,  and  formed  the 


■J 


472 


WESTEEN   MISSIONS 


most  extensive  and  solid  designs  for  their  conversion, 
wJien  he  was  sud.Ionly  arrested  in  the  midst  of  his  enter- 
prises. The  Superior  of  the  Missions  in  Missouri,  on  payinc. 
the  visit  to  his  missionaries,  found  the  Fatlier  so  feeble  ia 
health  that  ho  judged  him  incapable  of  continuing  his  la- 
bors.  As  soon  as  the  Superior  returned  to  St.  Louis  he  re- 
called  him. 

Faithful  to  the  voice  of  obedience.  Father  Van  Quicken 
borne  quitted  his  cherished  mission.     lie  reappeared  at  St 
Louis  with  a  cheerful  countenance,  reposed  there  some  days 
went  to  make  his  annual  retreat  at  the  novitiate,  and  then 
set  out  for  St.  Charles,  so  .as  to  go  thence  to  the  little  parish 
ot  St.  Piancis  in  the  Portage  des  Sioux.     There,  he  was  to 
lead  a  quiet  life,  assisted  by  one  coadjutor  brother,  and  only 
bestowing  his  cares  on  this  little  flock.     But  is  there  any 
hope  of  limiting  his  zealous  eflbrts  ?    He  set  himself  at  once 
to  build^  a  church  in  the  neighborhood,  and  he  was  de- 
sirous ot  converting  a  certain  number  of  Protestant  families. 
Ihese  labors  were  absorbing  his  whole  attention,  when  he 
was  attacked  by  a  bilious  fever  which  carried  him  off  in 

sTcil'n  ^^^''  '"'''^'"^  ^"  ^^'  ""'''  ""^  ^"^  experienced  phy- 
Father  Pallaison  assisted  him  in  the  hour  of  death  The 
man  of  God  was  calm  until  the  end,  and  filled  with  devout 
resignation.  He  received  the  last  sacraments  with  a  deep 
and  touchmg  piety,  and  saw  death  approaching  without  fear. 
About  twenty  minutes  before  expiring,  perceiving  hi.  last 
moment;  ''  Pray  for  me,"  said  he  to  the  Father  and  Brother 
who^were  near  him.  These  were  his  last  words.  He  ex- 
'  ^W-  ^  H's  death  took  place  on  the  17th  of 
followed  by  crowds,  v 


August, 


to  St  Charles,  and  interred  with  much  ^....^  ...  ,,,  „,,^. 
die  of  the  graveyard,  at  the  foot  of  the  cross.    Catholics 


borne 
pomp  in  the  mid- 


coinrersion. 


AND   MISSIONAHIES. 


m 


nn.l  Protcstunta  assisted  at  his  funeral,  for  he  was  beloved 
by  all. 

The  lenjrthonod  labors  of  this  apostolic  man,  and  ^ha 
chui-chos  which  ho  built,  sufnco  to  pcipctiiato  his  memory, 
were  it  not  already  deeply  engraven  in  the  hearts  of  all  who 
knew  him. 

Accept,  etc., 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


474 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


Letter  XXIIX. 

To  THE  Editor  of  thr  Pufecia  HisTORiQUEe,  Brussels. 
Theodore  de  2'heux. 

Nkw  Yobk,  May  16,  1857. 

Rev.  and  very  dear  Father  : 

In  several  of  your  letters  you  requested  mo  to  give  you 
some  notes  concerning  the  life  and  character  of  Father  do 
Theux,  of  saintly  memory.  Will  you  be  so  kind  as  to  add 
the  information  which  follows  to  what  I  have  already  sent, 
and  blend  them,  in  form  of  a  biography,  in  one  letter? 

John-Theodore-Maiy-Joseph  de  Theux  was  born  at  Li6ge 
on  the  26th  of  January,  1789.  Ilia  parents,  not  less  dis- 
tinguished by  their  piety  than  by  their  birth,  endeavored  to 
inspire  their  children  betimes  with  the  love  and  fear  of  God, 
and  t©  form  them  to  the  practice  of  all  the  virtues,  as  do 
those  rare  families  in  which  taith  is  hereditary. 

Theodore  had  not  yet  terminated  his  study  of  the  human- 
ities, when  he  felt  a  strong  conviction  that  God  called  him 
to  the  ecclesiastical  state.  Having  finished  them,  he  entered 
the  seminary  of  Namur  in  1808.  Devoting  himself  with 
untiring  application  to  the  study  of  philosophy,  he  distin- 
guished himself  as  much  by  his  success  as  by  his  regularitv 
of  conduct,  his  piety,  and  gentleness.  At  the  end  of  the 
course  he  won  the  first  prize  for  the  collective  examinations, 
which  lasted  several  days.  He  showed,  in  every  circum- 
stance, a  great  soundness  of  judgment.    His  success  in  his 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


476 


Brussels. 


ay  16, 1857. 

to  give  you 
f  Father  de 
I  as  to  add 
.1  ready  sent, 
jtter? 

n  at  Li6g6, 
ot  less  dis- 
leavored  to 
ear  of  God, 
rtues,  as  do 

the  human- 
called  him 
he  entered 
imself  with 
he  distin- 
>  regularity 
3nd  of  the 
vmiuations, 
ry  circum- 
:cess  in  his 


theological  Btudics,  Holy  Scripture,  canon-law,  and  other  ec 
clesiasticnl  sciences  wjis  equiilly  brilliant. 

Ills  former  companions  prm-ivc!  a  most  delightful  recollec- 
t.on  of  the  rdations  of  young  Do  Thcux  with  his  class-mates 
whom  he  assisted  with  his  lights  and  counsels.  The  amenity 
of  his  temper  gained  him  every  heart ;  it  reflected  his  soul, 
which  was  inflamed  with  the  tiro  of  heavenly  charity.  Ue 
passed  four  or  five  years  in  the  seminary  of  Namur. 

He  received  the  tonsure  in  March,  1810  ;  minor  orders  in 
the  month  of  Juno  following;  the  sub-deaconship,  the  21st  of 
December,  1811;  the  deaconship,  the  22d  of  February,  1812. 
Admitted  to  the  priesthood  the  2l8t  of  June  following,  feast 
of  the  angelical  Saint  Aloyslus,  the  Abbo  do  Theux,  before 
the  end  of  the  same  year,  had  a  fine  opportunity  of  display- 
ing the  zeal  which  ho  never  ceased  exciting  in  his  heart. 
He  was  named  vicar  of  the  parish  of  St.  Nicholas  at  Lioge. 

It  was  the  epoch  when  the  imperial  government,  in  the 
height  of  its  combat  with  all  Europe,  multiplied  beyond 
measure  the  prisons  of  State ;  and  while  the  faithful  cardinals 
mourned  in  the  strongholds  of  Piedmont  and  Franco,  the 
generous  defenders  of  Spain  expiated  at  Li6ge  the  fault  of 
having  fought  for  the  liberty  of  their  unhappy  country.    The 
greater  number  of  them  languished  iu  the  hospital's.     In 
order  to  be   able  to   offer  them  the   consolations   of  the 
Church,  the  new  vicar  of  Saint  Nicholas  occupied  himself 
wholly  with  the  study  of  the  Spanish  language,  and,  with 
the  help  of  God,  in  a  short  time,  he  was  able  to  hear  the 
confessions  of  the  imprisoned.     It  was  very  beautiful  to  see 
this  young  priest,  a  member  of  one  of  the  first  families  of 
Liege,  braving,  at  the  pillow  of  the  dying,  the  pestilential  in- 
fluences of  the  epidemic  which  raged  among  the  prisoners 
particularly  at  the  hospital  of  St.  Laurent.     Attacked  by  the 
disease,  the  Abbe  de  Theux  was  received  into  the  bosom  of 


470 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


liis  family.     Cod,  in  or.ler  to  try  1 


liin,  pcrmittcl  that  the 
t  «ev(;ntl  of  liin  near  n-la- 


iiiala.|y  hIiouIU  lui  coir)iniinicat.".|  I 
tiycM,  Ht..i  provu  il.o  cause  of  .Intth  to  ono  of  his'bioll 
•Hxlom,  however,  cHoaped   doalh.      (Md,  who   had 
esigim  over  him,  would  „ot  allow  that  he  shouM 
become  the  victim  of  I 


'Jh 
d 


U'.rn. 


lis  ze 


al. 


great 
80  soon 


111  1HI6,  uam.d  hy  M.  Harrotf,  admi.iistrator  of  the  Epis- 


copal  See  of  LiiW*',  i'r.)to-,sor  of  I>, 
Holy  Scrij)ture,  Ik;  prcsi,K.cl  at  tlm  o 


ftnd  gave  the  firHt  eotii 


'ogmalie  'l'hc(.|oi,'y  and  of 
'Jteiiiug  of  the  seminary 


•se  of  theology.     At  this  epoch  there 


was  only  one  chiHs  in  the  seminary  of  Li6go.  lu  the  exer- 
cise of  his  new  functions  he  conciliated  the  love  and  respect 
ot  h.8  pupils,  as  well  by  his  zeal  and  his  dcvotcdness,  as  by 
ins  tender  and  paternal  solicit.ule.  JJut  his  love  for  God 
and  his  neighbor  <lemande<l  labors  more  painful,  sacu-ifices  of 
a  nobler  grade,  lie  end)raced,  with  as  much  eagerness  as 
Lappuiess,  the  occasion  that  rrovidence  offered  him. 

The  Abbe  Charles  Nerinckx,  one  of  the  first  and  most 
efficient  missionaries  of  Kentucky,  after  a  voyage  to  Home 
visited  onco  more  the  land  of  his  nativity,  Belgium.     The 
picture  that  he  presented  of  the  disastrous 'state  ""of  the  mis- 
Bions  of  the  United  States  touched  the  compassionate  heart 
ot  the  Abbo  de  Theux.     After  assuring  himself,  by  fervent 
prayers   and    other  meritorious  works,  that   such  was  the 
good  pleasure  of  God,  he  resolved  to  quit  his  native  land,  to 
renounce  the  intercourse  of  a  tende.ly-loved  flimily,  to  bid 
farewell  to   numerous  and   sincere   friends,  and  go  into  a 
strange  land  to  labor  for  the  salvation  of  souls  and  spend  the 
rest  of  his  days. 

He  left  Antwerp  for  America  on  tlie  15th  of  April   1816 
Tvith  one  companion,  who,  like  himself,  was  desirous  of  bein.' 
enrolled  among  the  followers  of  St.  Ignatius.     The  two  tra  °- 
ellers  arrived  safely.     On  the  7th  of  August,  they  were  ad- 


AND    MiSSrONAKflCB. 

nilttod  to  Ihn  novitinto   of   White  Mnnh,  Vv'wot,  C, 
Co.,  M<1.     Kutlicr  do  'I'l 
of  Aiijfiint,  IHIH. 


47T 

Miiix  to<»k  Ills  first  vowM  on  tho  18th 


hi'iu^  tlio  eldfst 


Hon,  Thcotloro  would  Imvo  inlioiif.d  h\n 


fatljcr'H  titlo.     Ho  roriourioi'd  it  in  favor  of  Ids  l.rotlu-r  H...- 
tholonww,  at  prc«ont  Count  de  TIu^ux  do  ^fo)  iandt,  forn.er 


nunihter  of  Uolgiuin,  inoiuLor  of  the  CI 


tativo 


H,  minister  of  Stad',  etc. 


lainluT  of  Uepresen- 


Tho  fervor  of  tho  priest  only  auj^mcntod  in  tlio  rel 


All  those  of  his  brethren  who  have  had 
seeing  him  and  conversing  with  I 
f)ing  to  his  distinguished  virtue, 
pfudi 


gious. 
nn  opportuiuty  of 
inn,  arc  unanimous  in  testi- 
singidar  pi.;ty,  and  tho  raro 
lenco  of  hia  zeal.     For  several  years  previous  to  my  <lc. 
parturo  for  tho  Itulinn  missions,  I  had  tho  happiness  of  be- 
ing his  room-mate,  in  a  little  wooden  ynbin.     At  his  express 
petition,  I  served  him  ns  ndmonitor.     Ua  made  an  agree- 
ment with  me  that  lie  should  present  himself  to  mo  twice 
each  week,  to  ask  of  mo  the  faults  and  defects  that  I  might 
bavo  remarked  in  him.     lie  besought  me  with  earnestiress 
and  humility  not  to  spare  him;  to  have  no  favorable  consid- 
eration for  him  ;  to  warn  him  openly  and  frankly  of  the  least 
thing  t;hat  I  might  discover  in  him  reprehensible.     At  the 
same  time  he  promised  me  the  deepest  gratitude,  and  assured 
nie  that  he  would  often  pray  for  me.     In  vain  I  observed 
him  closely  in  tho  accomplishment  of  his  spiritual  duties  in 
his  classes  of  theology,  at  table,  in  recreation,  so  as  to  prove 
to  him  my  desire  to  oblige  him.     I  often  made  efforts  to  sur- 
prise him  in  some  fault,  but  never,  that  I  know,  was  I  able  to 
find  him  deficient.     As  I  discovered  that  he  seemed  to  bo 
disappointed  because  I  did  not  correct  him,  so  as  to  tran- 
quillize him  I  had  recourse  to  trifies— to  the  merest  baga- 
telles.    The  more  I  told  him  the  more  lie  thanked  me,  a'nd 
the  more  also,  undoubtedly,  he  prayed  for  me.     He  united 


['t         i 


> 


J 


478 


WE8TF.RN   MIflSIONS 


in  himflolf  tlio  nimplicity  of  n  rliil.l  with  the  humility  of  a 
great  saint.  Whilo  I  oitcupii-d  iho  «amo  ajmrtiiu'tit  with 
him,  r  over  rcmarkiMl  that  ho  was  n»;nijiiiIou«ly  punctual  to 
ovory  duty,  whetlu-r  Hpiiitual  or  othorwim',  and  <'a<h  had  \i» 
nppointi'd  hour.  Kvciy  day  ho  Htudiod  tho  nacntd  Scrip- 
turcH.  IIo  Ti'iid  ovor  IiIh  hroviary  with  a  profound  rt'collcc- 
tion,  knoolini;  bcfiue  IiIh  iTucifix  or  at  tho  foot  of  tho  altar, 
boforo  tho  HloMfd  Sucramont. 

These  exorci»os  of  pi(>ty,  and  tho  uncca«in)T  laborji  of  tho 
missions,  porfoctcd  this  hoautiful  soul,  and  Father  do  Thoux 
was  admitted  to  his  solemn  profession  on  the  16th  of  Au- 
gust, 1820.  From  tho  sooond  year  of  his  novitiate  ho  had 
boon  named  Oporarius  (that  is  to  say,  chnrtjcd  with  exercis- 
ing tho  holy  ministry  in  tho  church  of  tho  Holy  Trinity). 
His  great  zeal  and  hi.s  exemplary  piety,  won  him  tho  respect 
and  the  contidenco  of  all  intrusted  to  his  care.  Hence, 
when  he  wius  obliged  to  leave  this  church  for  Missouri,  thcro 
was  a  general  regret. 

From  1822,  ditl'erout  localities  became  successively  the 
scene  of  tho  apostolical  works  of  this  holy  religious.  Ho 
was  professor  of  theology,  superior  of  the  missions,  master 
of  novices  in  Louisiana  at  Grand  Coteau,  at  St.  Charles  ia 
Missouri,  and  at  Cincinnati  in  Ohio.  Everywhere  he  gave 
proofs  of  an  indefatigable  zeal,  of  an  unlimited  dovotedness. 
Everywhere  he  gained  the  esteem  and  affection  of  his 
brethren,  and  of  all  those  with  whom  he  was  called  to  treat, 
whether  Catholic  or  Protestant.  Everywhere  ho  left  the 
ineffaceable  remembrance  of  his  virtues,  and  the  regret 
caused  at  his  departure.  It  was  in  tho  exercise  of  his  apos- 
tolical functions  that  ho  contracted  the  germ  of  the  raalaJy 
of  which  he  died. 

When  he  resided  at  Grand  Coteau,  Louisiana,  going  one 
day  to  visit  a  sick  person,  he  passed  through  a  place  called 


•f. 


ANT)    MTSBrOHARIEB. 


^«f.iy«tto     A  yo„nff  Frenchman  who  wm  nmn-Inff 


479 

11.0  l,ra^^„„|„c,„  „o„„.„„l  ,1,„  K„,|„„  „i„,  ,„^,       ,  .       "• 
I.  .  per.„„  1,0  wo,,,.,  ,„.r,.r  to  rocoivo  l,,„  e'„i„«.     rCl^l 

to  w  .t  p.t,o„.iy.  K„„„,  ,,„„„,„,  .,,„, ,  „,„  ^,;*;™ 

.n»um  ,„„1  ,y  „,,„t  H,,,,t  you  .,„„  „„„„      j„  ;* 

It:  .f7 '"" '"'' ';"  ""'''^''  "■"'  "■■-  "">«  -"''o 

u  I     H  taso  winch  the  Father  carr  ed  undor  hifl 
Pl.oo        Yc    «n»«orod  tl,o  religio„8,  oxhibiting  l,i,  cruoi- 

I-U,  I  T  ,"  '  '"'™  companion.,  „h„  Loivod  him 
«.U,  Joud  „nd  ro,ter»tod  shout,  of  insulting  laughter 

Another  d..y,  Father  do  Thoux  was  porforming  in  tho 
Lurch  of  Grand  Cotoau  tho  obsoquio,  of  an  unhappy  ma 

l.fe.  Ho  8e,zod  tho  opportunity  to  address  tho  assistant. 
»mo  sovero  words  on  the  misfortune  of  such  a  life  Mlowed 
by  a  death  so  sad.    Suddenly  a  man,  known  as  an  enemy  t„ 

longed  tho  Father  m  a  brusque  and  insoleut  manner.    "1 


IHHIi 

^B-'^^H 

^K  ^^^B 

480 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


will  not  suffer,"  said  he,  "that  tho  memory  of  my  friend  be 
publicly  insulted."  Father  do  Theux,  with  his  ordinary 
calmness,  turned  towards  tho  interlocutor  and  said :  "  I  am 
at  home.  This  is  my  own  church.  I  have  the  right  to 
speak  in  it,  and  to  say, what  I  please;  but  he  who  now  in- 
terrupts mo  has  no  rit^ht  to  speak  here.  If  he  does  not  like 
my  sermon  let  him  retire  from  the  church."  The  insolent 
man  immediately  went  out,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the 
good  Catholics  who  were  present,  and  Father  de  Theux  tran- 
quilly continued  his  sermon. 

lu  1844,  the  Bishop  of  Cincinnati  found  himself  frequently 
menaced,  as  well  as  the  Catliolics  of  his  diocese,  by  tumult- 
uous mobs,  composed  of  the  enemies  of  our  holy  faith.  He 
asked  counsel  of  Father  de  Theux.  After  some  moments  of 
reflection,  the  Father  answered,  that  he  would  obtain  peace 
and  security  in  those  difficult  times  if  he  would  have  re- 
course to  the  Sovereign  Pontiff,  and  would  encourage  the 
other  bishops  of  the  United  States  to  follow  his  example,  so 
as  to  obtain  the  favor  of  adding,  in  the  preface  of  the  mass, 
to  the  word  conception  the  prefix  immaculate.  The  worthy 
bishop  received  the  advice  with  respect,  and  the  request  was 
soon  after  made  at  Rome  and  crowned  with  success. 

In  1845,  Father  de  Theux  was  attacked  with  one  of  those 
bilious  fevers  so  common  in  the  southwest  of  the  Union.  It 
threatened  him  with  speedy  death.  The  physicians  pro- 
nounced it  mortal.  However,  his  constitution  triumphed, 
the  danger  ceased,  the  patient  recovered,  and,  after  a  few 
days  of  convalescence,  he  was  able  to  devote  himself  to  the 
exercises  of  zeal  to  which  he  had  consecrated  his  whole  life. 

At  the  opening  of  the  year  1846,  Father  de  Theux  de- 
sired to  provide  for  the  education  of  children  too  remote 
from  St.  Charles,  Missouri,  to  come  to  the  catechetical  instruc- 
tions.   He  set  out  to  seek  and  select  a  suitable  position; 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


481 


my  friend  be 
his  ordinary 
said  :  *'  I  am 
the  right  to 
who  now  in- 
docs  not  like 
The  insolent 
action  of  the 
3  Thoux  tran- 

lelf  frequently 
le,  by  turault- 
ly  faith.  He 
e  moments  of 

obtain  peace 
uld  have  re- 
ncourage  the 
s  example,  so 

of  the  mass, 
The  worthy 
e  request  was 
xess. 

1  one  of  those 
le  Union.  It 
lysicians  pro- 
n  triumphed, 
,  after  a  few 
limself  to  the 
his  whole  life, 
de  Theux  de- 
n  too  remote 
letical  instruc- 
able  position; 


when  returning,  he  and  his  companion  lost  their  way.     Over- 
taken by  a  cold  rain,  which  wet  liim  through,  he  was  at- 
tack With  a  pleurisy.     After  some  days  the  disease  became 
more  violent,  baffling  every  remedy.     The  pleurisy  soon  de- 
generated  into  an  inflammation  of  the  bowels.    Although  , 
the  Father  possessed  a  strong  constitution,  labor  and  hard- 1 
8h,p  had  exhausted  him  to  such  a  degree  that  he  could  no' 
longer  contend  with  the  malady.     He  foresaw  his  approach- 
ing end  and  prepared  himself  for  it  with  care,  convinced 
that  God  would  ere  long  call  him.     During  three  weeks  he 
endured  excruciating  pains   and  sufferings,  but  preserved 
every  faculty  until  the  end.     He  employed  a  portion  of  time 
m  arrangmg  all  the  affairs  of  his  charge  with  perfect  exacti- 
tude; and  preparing  himself  with  redoubled  fervor  for  the 
passage  from  time  to  eternity,  he  employed  the  rest  in  mak- 
ing acts  of  resignation,  of  patience,  and  of  other  virtues  by 
means  of  texts  dra^vn  from  Holy  Wiit,  ejaculatory  prayers, 
and  ardent  s.ghs  towards  the  God  of  his  love.     He  received 
the  last  sacraments  with  a  piety  ivhich  edified  everyone. 
He  himself  directed  the  priest  who  was  administering  them 
and  who  trembled  on  seeing  the  anguish  which  this  worthy 
rehgious  was  enduring.     The  dying  voice  of  the  faithful  ser- 
vant of  Jesus  was  heard  distinctly  responding  to  the  prayers 
ot  the  agonizing.  "^ 

Father  de  Theux  desired  to  be  warned  of  the  progress  of 
his  Illness,  and  of  the  approach  of  death.  Three  days  before 
his  demise  the  physician  told  him  that  he  could  not  pass  the 
following  day.  "  No,  doctor,"  gayly  replied  the  patient,  «I 
8hall  not  die  to-morrow ;  I  shall  die  on  Saturday.  Saturday 
will  be  the  day."  He  had  always  wished  to  die  on  a  day 
consecrated  to  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  he  always  cherished 
the  firm  belief  that  he  would  not  be  disappointed  in  hi« 
hope.    Early  on  Saturday  morning  he  began,  repeating  fre- 


.i:"'<l 


483 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


|i  ! 


quently  these  invocations:  '* Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me!  .  .  . 
Mary,  pray  for  me !"  There  remained  for  him  only  a  few 
hours  of  exile,  and  it  was  in  the  act  of  repeating  these  words 
that  Father  de  Theux  yielded  up  his  last  sigh,  at  seven 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  on  the  28th  of  February,  1840,  on 
the  day  of  the  week  consecrated  to  the  devotion  and  hom- 
age of  Mary.  His  latest  petition  was  heard.  It  was,  no 
doubt,  one  of  the  recompenses  of  the  Mother  of  God,  who  is 
also  ours.  He  had  also,  in  the  latter  period  of  his  life,  estab- 
lished at  St.  Charles,  in  the  mission  church,  the  Arch-confra- 
ternity of  the  Immaculate  Heart  of  Mary,  to  which  he  had 
a  tender  devotion.  Whether  God  had  really  manifested  to 
him  the  day  on  which  he  should  give  up  his  soul,  or  whether 
his  words  were  the  expression  of  a  strong  and  inflamed  de- 
sire, we  cannot  decide ;  but  the  fact  is,  that  he  died  on  Sat- 
nrday,  the  28th  of  February,  1846. 

Father  de  Theux  was  one  of  those  men  whom  it  is  diffi- 
cult or  impossible  to  know  thoroughly,  until  after  having 
long  and  carefully  observed  their  conduct  and  habits.  He 
never  spoke  of  himself  unless  morally  obliged,  or  when  there 
was  an  evident  utility ;  and  ordinarily  then,  according  to  the 
manner  of  the  great  apostle,  he  did  it  in  the  third  person. 
To  give  you  an  example,  I  will  cite  the  following  incident : 
He  was  speaking  of  the  necessity  of  working  perseveringly 
in  the  control  and  subjection  of  the  vicious  and  rebellious 
inclinations  of  our  corrupt  nature,  and  even  its  infirmities. 
To  apply  his  remarks,  he  indicated  that  habitual  dispo- 
sition which  inclines  to  sleep  in  prayer,  and  the  following 
is  the  substance  of  what  he  said  on  this  point :  "  I  know 
a  man  who  contended  thirty  long  years  against  this  infirm- 
ity. Still  he  spared  no  endeavors  to  free  himself  from  it. 
He  stood,  he  knelt ;  he  took  a  step  forward  or  backward 
according  as  circumstances  would  admit,  but  often  he  could 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


483 


r  on  me  I  .  .  . 
iin  only  a  few 
ig  tlicse  words 
sigh,  at  seven 
nary,  1840,  on 
ion  and  bom- 
t.  It  was,  no 
if  God,  who  is 
'  his  life,  estab- 
e  Arch-confra- 
whkh  he  had 
manifested  to 
ul,  or  whether 
inflamed  de- 
died  on  Sat- 

>m  it  is  diffi- 
after  having 
[  habits.  He 
>r  when  there 
ording  to  the 
third  person, 
ing  incident: 
perse  veringly 
nd  rebellious 
ts  infirmities, 
ibitual  dispo- 
the  following 
3t:  "I  know 
;  this  infirm- 
iself  from  it. 
or  backward 
'ten  he  could 


not ;  then  ho  had  recourse  to  this  moans.  ITc  took  a  pin  or 
needle  with  him,'  and  without  allowing  olh.rs  to  perceive 
hun.  ho  tormented  his  bo.ly  by  piendng  it  with  the  sharp 
httle  mstrument,  in  order  to  render  his  sou!  fit  for  medita- 
tion when  the  rule  or  inclination  demanded  it."  All  those 
who  were  listening  to  him  were  interiorly  convinced  that 
he  was  spoaking  of  himself,  and  that  the  eulogium  due  to 
himself  "'^^"^  """"^  persevering  effo.ts  belonged  to  none  but 

Ilis  clmracter  inclined  him  to  severity,  but  it  was  solely 
on  hunself  that  ho  exercised  it.     No  one  ever  saw  him  allow 
Inmself  the  least  satisfaction  which  seemed  to  flatter  sen- 
suality.    Every  thing  l,ad  its  allotted  time.     Of  a  healthy 
constitution,  he  believed,  correctly,  that  he  ought  to  contri- 
bute  to  Its  preservation  so  far  as  the  rules  of  religious  tern- 
perance  would  permit.     Hence  no  singularity  at  his  repasts 
was  ever  observed  in  him,  either  for  the  quantity  or  for  the 
manner,  unless  we  may  call  singularity  a  constant  habit  of 
adhering  invariably,  for  every  kind  of  beverage,  to  a  meas- 
ure and  quality  fixedly  determined  in  accordance  with  all 
the  rules  of  Christian  temperance  and  religious  poverty 

His  modesty  was  really  angelic.  His  eyes  were  generally 
cast  down.  He  raised  them  frequently  towards  God  when 
engaged  in  prayer.  It  was  easy  to  perceive  that  he  had 
made  a  covenant  with  his  eyes,  that  they  were  never  to  look 
on  any  dangerous  object.  His  spirit  of  prayer  was  calm. 
without  pretension,  and  continual. 

^  Being  a  little  deaf,  he  often  quitted  his  room  for  the  exer- 
cises of  the  community  before  the  bell  gave  the  signal  lest 
he  might  not  hear  it.  When  he  arrived  too  soon,  he  took 
his  rosary  and  prayed  until  the  common  notice  was  given 

Sanctifying  himself,  he  edified  all  those  who  knew  him  by 
an  exactitude  to  the  practice  of  our  holy  rules.     His  virtue 


484 


WE8TKRN   MISSIONS 


consisted  in  doing  ordinary  things  with  aD  extraordinary 
perfection. 

We  may  rcsunio  this  edifying  life  by  saying,  that  Father 
do  Theux  was  a  genuine  model  of  the  religious  state.  With 
an  inflamed  zeal  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  there  shone  in 
him  great  humility,  a  burning  and  expansive  charity,  and 
complete  self-renunciation.  lie  joyfully  accepted  all  priva- 
tions, all  contradictions,  without  ever  seeking  to  be  remarked. 
He  was  prayerful,  because  he  was  mortified  and  obedient.  I 
speak  knowingly  of  his  rare  virtues,  for  I  was  so  happy  as  to 
pass  the  early  years  of  my  scholasticate  under  his  paternal 
guidance,  he  being  my  spiritual  director  and  my  professor  of 
theology. 

Although  there  was  no  ostentation  in  the  practice  of  his 
duties,  ho  could  not  avoid  the  observant  eye  of  his  brethren, 
as  well  as  of  strangers.  He  was  known  among  the  people 
as  the  man  who  performed  miracles.  And,  without  doubt, 
had  he  not  wrought  any  other  than  the  sublime  examples 
which  he  left  of  the  Christian  and  religious  virtues,  he 
would  have  already  deserved  that  great  and  glorious  title. 

His  death  is  a  great  loss  to  the  society,  to  the  missions  of 
the  western  States,  and  to  the  work  of  civilization.  His 
obsequies  took  place  on  the  2d  of  May,  and  his  body  was 
transported  to  St.  Stanislaus,  near  Florissant,  a  locality  which 
the  deceased  had  edified,  as  he  had  so  many  others,  by  the 
practice  of  all  the  virtues.  His  remains  find  sepulture  near 
those  of  Fathers  Van  Quickenborne,  Timmermans,  Van 
Lommel,  etc. 

The  impression  that  he  made  on  the  students  of  St. 
Xavier's  college,  Cincinnati,  was  so  profound,  that  some 
young  Protestants,  who  had  not  a  very  clear  idea  concern- 
mg  the  canonization  of  saints,  one  day  inquired  seriously  of 
tiiSir  professor  wheticSr  father  dc  T/ieu£  was  canonised  ot 


I  ^  ■* 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


485 


not?  and  the  professor  having  explained  to  them  the  nature 
of  this  ceremony  in  the  Cluirch  (which  is  only  done  a  long 
time  after  death),  they  answered  :  »  Well,  however  that  may 
be,  ho  deserves  it." 

Accept,  Rev.  Father,-  the  assurance  of  my  respect  and 
aflfection, 

P.  J.  Dk  Smet,  S.  J. 
41« 


I    .111 


ermans,   Van 


IS 


E«;SiA 


486 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


Letter  XL 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Vixtcm  IIistoriques,  Buussels. 
Father  John  Anthony  Elet. 
Reverend  Father  :  University  o.  St.  Louib. 

I  present  a  brief  biographical  notice  of  our  country- 
man, the  Rev.  Father  Elet,  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  a  religious 
who  accomplished  much  good,  aud  whose  memory  is  held  in 
benediction. 

^  John  Anthony  Elet  was  born  at  St.  Amand,  in  the  prov- 
mce  of  Antwerp,  on  the  19th  of  February,  1802.  navin(r 
completed  his  early  studies  in  the  college  of  Mechlin  with 
much  distmction,  under  the  direction  of  the  venerable  Mr. 
Verloo,  he  entered  the  ecclesiastical  seminary  of  the  same 
town.  These  two  establishments,  which  have  given  many 
learned  men  to  Belgium,  were  ever  dear  to  his  heart;  to  the 
hour  of  his  death,  it  was  a  consolation  and  delight  to  him  to 
near  and  si^eak  of  them. 

In  1821,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  took  the  generous 
resolution  of  quitting  his  country,  under  the  guidance  of 
the  apostle  of  Kentucky,  the  very  Rev.  Mr.  Nerinckx  in 
order  to  devote  himself  to  the  forsaken  missions  of  North 
America. 

He  began  his  novitiate  in  Maryland,  on  the  6th  of.  Octo^ 
ber,  1828.  Before  the  closo  of  his  two  y.-ars  of  probation,  he 
was  sent,  with   several   Fathers,   brothers,  and   novices    all 


B 


elgiaus,  but  one  brother  wl 


lo  was  an  Amcrie 


lu,  to  M 


IS- 


And  missionaries. 


m 


5,  Brussels. 


r  OP  St.  Louis. 

'  our  country- 
3U8,  a  religioua 
aory  is  held  in 

,  in  the  prov- 
802.  Having 
Mechlin  with 
v^enerable  Mr. 
''  of  the  same 
I  given  many 
heart ;  to  the 
ght  to  him  to 

the  generous 

guidance  of 

Nerinckx,  in 

3ns  of  North 

6th  of.  OctO' 

probation,  he 

novices,  all 

ciuj,  to  Mis- 


•ouri,  to  cstahlish  a  mission  amid  the  old  French  aettlemonta, 
the  new  American  ones,  and  the  wandering  tribes  of  Indians, 
dispersed  throughout  this  vast  territory. 

Father  Elet  finished  his  course  of  philosophy  and  theology 
under  Fathers  Van  Quickenborne,  born  at  Peteghen-lex- 
Deynze,  and  Do  Theux,  born  at  Liege,  and  was  ordained 
priest  m  1827,  by  Mgr.  Rosati,  bishop  of  St  Louis. 

He  had  the  consolation  of  seeing  the  mission  which  was 
Rt  first  so  small  and  weak,  erected  into  a  vice-province,  and 
extended  into  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Illinois,  Louisiana,  Indian 
Territory  (now  Kansas  and  Nebraska),  and  forming  beyond 
the  Rocky  Mountains  in  Oregon,  Washington,  and  Cali- 
fornia, the  nucleus  of  a  new  mission,  which  promises  ere 
long  to  equal  the  most  flourishing.  To  all  this  success  he  had 
greatly  contributed. 

Father  Elet,  one  of  the  first  founders  of  the  university  of 
St.  Louis,  was  president  of  this  institution  for  several  years. 
In  1840,  he  was  sent  to  Cincinnati,  chief  town  of  Ohio,  to 
take  the  direction  of  the  college  of  St.  Xavier,  which  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  of  that  city,  Mgr.  Purcell  (now  archbishop), 
Lad  just  confided  to  the  Society  of  Jesus.  In  a  short  time 
Father  Elet  erected  in  addition  a  free-school,  suflSciently 
extensive  to  allow  the  admission  of  four  or  five  hundred  poor 
children. 

Mgr.  Flaget,  the  first,  and  for  a  long  time  the  sole  bishop 
of  the  whole  immense  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  which  ex- 
tends from  the  Alleghany  mountains  on  the  west,  to  the 
Rocky  Mountains  on  the  east,  invited  the  Jesuit  Fathers  to 
Kentucky,  and  oflFered  them,  through  his  worthy  coadjutor 
and  successor,  Bishop  Spalding,  his  beautiful  college  of  St. 
Joseph,  situated  at  Bardstown,  thirty-nine  miles  from  Louis- 
ville, one  of  the  oldest  and  most  renowned  of  the  educa- 
tional establishments  of  this  portioa  of  the  great  Americau 


v:t 


ftf-   n 


488 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


confi'dorncy ;  nnd  whioh  lias  sent  out  Bovornl  illustrlotw 
bishops,  arul  ii  gnmt  iiuml)«i-  omiiuMit  in  Cliun-li  mid  State. 
Father  Klet  was  at  that  tiino  vico-pioviiiciah  A  short  time 
after,  lie  opoiieil  a  hoiiso  of  echication  at  Loiii.svillo. 

Puriiifr  Ills  proviucialship,  lio  sustaiiuxl  a  very  painful  loss 
in  the  person  of  IiIh  hiotluir,  Father  CMuuh's  Louis  Elet,  who 
having   arrived   in   1848  to  share    his   lal.ors,   died  at  St. 
Joseph's  college  oti  the  2nd  of  Mareh,  1849,  at  the  age  of 
thirty-seven.     lie  felt  a  flecp  sorrow  at  this  death,  not  only 
because  he  lost  a  brother,  hut  because  the  province  was  thus 
deprived  of  a  zealous  priest— snatched  away  in  tiie  flower  of 
his  age,  and  from  whom  such  eminent  services  might  have 
been  expected.     Yet  his  grief  wjia  mingled  with  great  con- 
solation.    His  brother  had  left  in  Belgium  the  remeinbranco 
of  an  exemplary  life  wholly  devoted  to  the  good  of  others— 
during  his  short  sojourn  in  America,  ho  liad  ever  shown 
himself  the  model  of  a  fervent  and  charitable  religious.     A 
holy  death    crowned   so   edifying   a   life.     The  Bishop   of 
Louisville,  who  visited  him  in  his  last  hours,  announced  his 
death  to  the  Provincial,  in  a  letter  as  honorable  to  the  noble- 
hearted  writer,  as  to  the  pious  sentiments  of  liim  whose  loss 
it  deplores.     I  insert  the  letter,  it  is  dated 

'•Bardstown,  23d  of  March,  1849. 
"  My  DEAR  Father  Elet  :— Allow  me  to  unite  my  voice  to 
that  of  those  numerous  friends,  who  will  offer  you  their 
sympathy  on  the  occasion  of  the  melancholy  event,  which 
,this  day's  post  will  inform  you.  I  mean  the  death  of  your 
very  holy  and  amiable  brother.  Providence  permitted  me 
to  be  here  at  the  moment.  I  had  the  happiness  of  visiting 
him  twice.  On  these  occasions,  I  gave  him  with  my  whole 
heart  the  episcopal  benediction.  He  devoutly  kissed  my 
pectoral  cross,  which  contains  a  relic  of  the  Holy  Ci-oss.     I 


AND  MlsaiONABIEg.  4gQ 

quilt '^IllcMl  '""'  T"'.'"'  "'''"'^   ™  ^^  '■■•  "•"'•  t""- 
*i"uiiiy  under  tlio  most  pa  ntui   nmmv      ir      i         i 
tniit-i,  ,.e         !  .  I"*"'""   ftgony.     Jlo  flhowed   cverv 

"lark  of  an  elect  of  God—ntwi  if  c    i  \       ,  ,  .  ' 

II         .  """  "  '*"<J  loved  him  iiioro  fli>m 

.        "'•*  '"'  ""■  '•"I'O™  of  ''i»  soul.        ,  tho  i„i,l,t  of  tli 

^      "  Deploring  most  sincerely  your  loss.  I  am  &c, 

"  +  M.  J.  Si'ALDiNo,  Bishop,'* 

r.«. .,.1.: .X-.  r:";"!;";!- ■"■ 

r  r  .  ""*'  ''"  '■'■''Sg''''  '"•"^elf  with  d  fflcultvio 

tbe  domest.0  chapel,  and  remained  there  for  a  ..  *     ^fc  , 


490 


WKSTERN   MISSIONS 


time  prostrate  bofDio  tlio  altar  in  a  pn)ft)unfl  adoration.  Oa 
the  let  of  October,  cvo  of  the  Feast  of  the  Holy  Angels,  at 
the  moment  when  the  Holy  Viaticum  was  brought  to  him, 
and  the  words  ^^  JJomine  nan  sum  dif/nus,^^  were  pronounced, 
he  was  heard  dintinctly  repeating,  "iVon  sum  dif/nua,  Domine^ 
non  sum  dipnusr  (I  am  not  worthy,  Lord,  I  am  not  worthy.) 
To  a  prayer  in  honor  of  the  Innnaculate  Conception  ot  Mnry, 
he  added  alou<l  these  words,  "  Credo,  credo,  Domine  Jc  i  /" 
(I  believe,  I  believe.  Lord  Jesus.)  Ho  afterwards  expressed 
a  lively  wish  to  die  on  the  Feast  of  the  Holy  Angels.  God, 
whose  will  he  had  so  faithfully  fulfilled,  was  pleased  to  hear 
the  desires  of  I  s  servant.  On  the  next  day,  towards  raid- 
ijght,  it  was  proposed  to  impart  the  last  absolution :  "  Yes," 
said  he,  "  it  is  the  moment."  Some  seconds  after  a  beauti- 
ful prayer  of  St.  Charles  Borromco  was  recited.  When 
they  came  to  the  passage  where  the  saint  acknowledges  that 
"  he  has  sinned,"  but  adds,  that  "  ho  had  never  denied  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,"  Father  Elet  exclaimed  "never! 
never  I"  After  having  kissed  the  crucifix  for  the  last  time 
with  the  most  touching  devotion,  at  midnight  precisely,  dur- 
ing the  renewal  of  the  absolution,  he  expired,  like  one  fall- 
ing into  a  gentle  slumber. 

Father  Elet  had  a  special  devotion  to  the  Holy  Angels, 
Every  year,  during  his  rectorship,  on  their  festival,  ho  re- 
quested all  the  Fathers  to  offer  mass  in  their  honor,  so  as  to 
obtain  a  special  protection  over  th.e  whole  house.  He  had 
also  introduced  in  several  places,  that  devotion  to  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Jesus,  which  is  observed  on  the  first  Friday  of  every 
month — encouraging  the  pious  practice  of  receiving  com- 
mission on  that  day,  aud  of  making  an  act  of  reparation  to 
the  Sacred  Heart,  which  a  priest  recites  before  the  altar, 
closing  the  pious  service  by  the  benediction  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament.    It  was  remarked  that  he  expired  precisely  at 


Dmtion.  On 
ly  Angela,  at 
iiight  to  him, 

pronounced, 
MM*,  Domine^ 

not  worthy.) 
tion  of  Mary, 
miine  J(  t  /" 
(Is  exproBsed 
ngeU.  (fod, 
eased  to  hear 
towards  mid- 
tion:  "Yob," 
ftor  a  beauti- 
itcd.  "When 
)wledgcs  that 
r  denied  the 
inied  "never! 
the  last  tirao 
precisely,  dur- 

like  one  fall- 


theh 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 

our  in  which  the  Fea«t  of  the  Holy  Angela 


vlHl 


t«miiuated, 
«.m  L.,0  nrst  r  n«iuy  of  the  month  commenced. 

Father  John  Anthony  Elct  was  h>ved  and  re«pectcd  wher- 
ever ho  was  known ;  h«  was  universally  regretted.  In  the 
Urnted  States,  a  territory  almost  as  extensive  as  the  whole 
ol  iMirope,  where  the  Catholic  clergy  are  so  f«w  that  they 
wou  d  scarcely  supply  one  single  diocese  of  Belgium,  the 
death  of  every  good  priest  leaves  a  gap  in  the  ranks  which 
all  feel.  Father  Elet's  death  would  shed  a  gloom  over  many 
zealous  hearts,  did  they  not  hope  that  from  above  he  will 
intercede  for  America,  more  powerfully  than  ho  could  have 
done  in  our  midst, 

D.  0.  M., 

P.  J.  Djs  Smet,  S.  J, 


i 


Holy  Angels, 
stival,  he  re- 
onor,  Bo  as  to 
use.  He  had 
to  the  Sacred 
riday  of  every 
sceiving  com- 
repuration  to 
)re  the  altar, 
•f  the  Blessed 
d  precisely  at 


492 


WE8TEUN   MISSIONS 


Letter  XLI. 

To  THi  Editor  or  tiir  PRfecw  IIibtoriqueb,  BRUSStLi. 

John  Jinj)tUt  Smedta^  S.  J. 

CiMoiNHATi,  February  19, 1866. 
RlVKRKND  FUIIKR  *. 

I  think  you  will  give  plojwuro  to  the  rolativoR  and 
friends,  as  well  as  to  the  former  ncqiuiintnncos  of  Father 
Smcdts  in  the  seminary  of  Mechlin,  if  you  wouM  allow 
Bpaco  in  your  PricU  Historiqnct  to  the  following  notice. 
His  Eminence,  tlio  Caniinjil  was  professor  in  the  ccclesi»«ti- 
cal  seminary  at  tlio  tin\e  of  the  departure  of  the  deceased ; 
Mgr.  De  liani,  tiie  Very  Uev.  MM.  Bosnians,  Van  Heme), 
etc.,  were  perfectly  well  ac(piainted  with  him.  The  rector 
magnificus,  of  the  university  of  Louvain,  my  intimate  friend 
at  college,  accompanied  Father  Smedts  and  myself  as  far  as 
Contich  or  Waelhem.* 

Father  John  Baptist  Smedt,  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  died 
in  America,  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  February  19,  1855. 
Born  at  Rotselaer,  in  Brabant,  on  the  11th  of  April,  1801, 
he  formed  part  of  the  colony  of  m" vionarics,  who  re- 
commenced in  182'),  on  the  banks  of  !lu;  :Mi88ouri  aiid 
the  Mississippi,  the  labors  of  the  forn  'r  Je«uit«,  which  had 
been  interrupted  in  the  last  century  by  the  suppression  of 
the  society.     Ho  left  his  country  in  1821,  with  some  other 

*  Mr.  De  Ram,       "-o  asked  mo  for  a  Bouvenir,  nnd  for  want  of  some- 
thing better  I  beat ..  i»ieoe  of  money  with  my  teeth,  and  he  had  it  still 

in  1848. 


MISSION  A  RTEa. 


493 


Brumbli. 


ry  10,  185A. 

•lativt'S  ftuJ 
H  of  Fatlior 
vould  allow 
viiijr  notice. 
I  ecclesiaHti- 
ic  dccoasod ; 
Van  Uemel, 
Tlio  rector 
iiniite  friend 
self  as  far  as 

f  JcsuB,  died 
r  19,  1855. 
April,  1801, 
es,  who  ro- 
'issouri  and 
which  hud 
ippression  of 
some  other 

want  of  Bome- 
1  he  had  it  utUi 


yotmg  IWff,an«,  NfM.  Felix  Verreydt,  of  Dieft;  Jomo  Ym 
A«chc,  of  St.  Ainand;  Poter  Jo»ei)h  Verhaogwh,  of  ILwchf 
John  Anthony   Klet,  of   Ht.   An.nnd,  and  l'«t«r  John  do' 
Bmot,  of   rorn.on.lo;   all  wuro  und«r  the  conduct  of  tho 
venerable  Mr.  Neiinckx,  a  Helgian  Hcculnr  priest,  a  diatin- 
guiHhcd  miHHiunary  in  America,  an<l  the  apoHtle  of  Kentucky. 
As  It  was  necessary  to  bo  cautious  with  a  suspicious  govern- 
inent    ,nimi..d    to   the  Catholic  religion,  and  particularly 
110.1.  0  to  nuHHionH,  the  dei)arture  w,w  as  secret  as  possible. 
Un  this  account  Father  Smcdts  saw  himself  force.l  to  make 
ft  sensibly  painful  sacrifice,  atid   to  set  out  (as  well   as   his 
con.punions),  with<...t  pruHoring  «  hist  adieu  to  all  that  was 
dearest  to  hi,n  on  earth.-parents,  brothers,  sisters,  and  friends. 
Ihey  were  obliged  to  beg,  for  the  lovo  of  Ood,  and  the  sal- 
vation of  souls,  the  money  necessary  for  a  long  voyage. 
Arrived  at  Amsterdam,  the  27th  of  July,  he  repaired  from 
thence  to  the  isle  of  Toxol,  to  shelter  himself  from  the  gov- 
ornment  of  Holland,  which  had  instituted   a   pursuit.     On 
the  vigil  of  the  Assumption  of  tho  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  ho 
quitted  tlie  island,  and  embarked  iu  an  open   fisherman's 
bark,  which  conducted  him  on  board  of  the  American  ship 
♦•Columbia,"  which  was  waiting  for  the  missiouarics  at  a 
great  distance  from  the  coast. 
^      On  the  0th  of  October,  in  tho  same  year.  Father  Smedts 
began  his  novitiate  at  White-Marsh,  Prince  George's  county, 
Maryland,  where  tho  Jesuits  had  a  mission  for  many  years! 
He  was  yet  a  novice  when  the  provincial,  at  the  special  re- 
quest of  Mgr.  du  Lourg,  bishop  of  Louisiana,  and  of  all  the 
great  territories   west  of  the  Mississippi,  sent  him  to  Mis- 
souri, with  the  five  Belgians  who  came  with  liim,  as  well  as 
Father  Van  Quickenborne,  of  Pctcghem  (master  of  novices), 
Father  Timraermans,  of  Turnhout,  and  three  lay  brothers, 
namely :  Peter  de  Meyer,  from  tho  vicinity  of  Audenarde' 


% 


\     ' 


494 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


Henri  Ricselman,  of  Amsterdam,  and  one  American.  One 
can  with  difficulty  imagine  the  fatigues  attendant  upon  this 
journey  of  1200  miles,  made  on  foot,  and  through  a  country 
which  was  as  yet  scarcely  inhabited,  and  in  the  slow-mov- 
ing, uncomfortable  flat-boats  of  the  Ohio  River. 

The  early  years  of  his  residence  in  Missouri  were  passed 
in  a  poor  cottage,  our  novitiate,  situated  near  the  village  of 
St.  Ferdinand,  about  eighteen  miles  from  St.  Louis.  Ordained 
priest  in  1826,  he  passed  several  years  in  the  missions  in  the 
rising  cities  and  villages  of  Missouri,  constantly  distinguish- 
ing himself  by  his  great  desire  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  and 
by  an  indefatigable  zeal,  which  induced  him  to  snrn^ount 
joyfully  all  the  fatigues  attached  to  the  missions  of  a  new 
country,  and  almost  destitute  of  priests.  Later,  he  filled 
during  several  years,  the  important  charge  of  master  of 
novices,  until  1849.  He  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
either  in  the  missions,  or  in  fulfilling  the  functions  of  minis- 
ter, or  of  spiritual  father  in  the  colleges.  He  held  this 
last-named  charge  in  the  university  of  St.  Louis,  and  was 
the  spiritual  director  of  a  great  number  of  pupils,  when  he 
was  attacked  by  the  slow  consumption  of  which  he  died. 

His  whole  life  was  irreproachable  and  exemplary.  Shun- 
ning the  world,  simple  in  his  manners,  patient  in  sufferings, 
he  had,  besides,  exhausted  his  strength  in  the  service  of  the 
Lord.  For  him  death  had  no  terrors,  he  perceived  it  ap- 
proaching with  a  holy  peace  of  soul,  and  with  a  strong  con- 
fidence in  the  divine  mercy ;  he  longed  to  break  the  bonds 
of  earth,  and  be  united  to  his  God.  Let  us  indulge  the 
hope  that  he  has  gone  to  meet  in  heaven  the  first  com- 
panion of  his  missionary  toils  and  sacrifices,  Father  Elet, 
and  the  whole  troop  of  holy  pioneers  in  the  laborious  mis- 
sions of  the  New  World. 

P.  J.  Db  Smet,  S.  J., 


AND  MISSIONABIiCS. 


495 


ill 


Letter  XLII. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Puficis  Historiques,  Brussels.     ' 

Francis  Xavier  d^Uoop. 

LouisviLus  (Kentucky),  March  29, 1855. 

Eeverend  Father  :* 

I  am  about  to  fulfil  a  duty  by  satisfying  the  quite  spe- 
cial request  of  one  c'  your  former  disciples,  Father  Francis 
X.  d'Hoop.  I  did  not  expect,  on  arriving  at  Louisville,  that 
I  was  about  to  assist  at  his  last  moments.  You  will  remem- 
ber that  he  was  one  of  the  band  that  I  conducted  to  Amer- 
ica iu  1837. 

The  Rev.  Father  d'Hoop  died  young,  and  much  regretted 
by  all  those  who  had  the  happiness  of  knowing  him.  He 
did  much  in  his  short  life,  and  this  country  loses  in  him  a 
fervent  and  zealous  missionary.  He  leaves  in  sorrow  a  great 
number  of  children  in  Jesus  Christ,  of  Protestants  converted 
to  the  faith,  of  strayed  sheep  brought  back  to  the  sheepfold 
of  the  good  pastor.  These  faithful  souls  will,  I  trust,  con- 
tinue to  bless  the  cherished  memory  of  their  spiritual  Father, 
and  he  will  intercede  for  them  from  heaven,  that  they  may 
persevere  in  the  faith. 

As  you  are  acquainted  with  the  family  of  Father  d'Hoop, 

*  This  letter  was  originally  addressed  to  Eev.  Father  Vanderhofstadt 
of  che  college  of  Toumai. 


496 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


and  as  I  have  received  many  proofs  of  your  great  charity,  I 
have  taken  the  liberty  of  addressing  you,  in  order  to  request 
you  to  conimuniccito  to  them  the  news  of  his  decease.  The 
details  which  I  give  in  the  httle  notice  which  follows,  will 
contribute  to  alleviate  their  grief. 

Father  Francis  Xavier  d'lloop,  of  the  Society  of  Jesus, 
died  in  America.     Born  at  Meulebeke,  in  the  diocese  of 
Bruges,  in  Belgium,  on  the  4th  of  January,  1813,  he  pur- 
sued his  studies  with  success  in  the  college  of  Thielt,  in 
West  Flanders,  and  afterwards  repaired  to  the  college  of 
Turnhout,  founded  by  the  venerable  De  Nef,  whose  name 
alone  is  a  eulogiurn.     la  this  nursery  of  missionaries,  which 
has  furnished  so  many  worthy  priests  and  so  many  excellent 
subjects  to  the  country.  Father  d'lloop,  following  the  exam- 
ple of  a  great  many  others  who  had  preceded  him,  took  the 
generous  resolution  of  devoting  himself  to  American  mis- 
sions, and  of  embracing  the  religious  life.     In  the  month  of 
September,  183Y,  he  quitted  his  country  and  embarked  for 
the  United  States,  with  four  companions.     On  the  21st  of 
November,  of  the  same  year,  he  entered  the  novitiate  of  the 
Jesuits  at  St.  Stanislaus,  Missouri.    After  two  years'  probation, 
he  was  sent  in  quality  of  sub-prefect  to  the  university  of  St. 
Louis,  and  applied  himself  at  the  same  time  to  the  acquiring 
of  the  languages  most  used  in  the  country ;  in  particular, 
the  English,  German,  French,  and  Spanish.    He  was  after- 
wards sent  to  the  college  of  St.  Charles  at  Grand  Coteau, 
in  Louisiana,  where,  for  several  years,  he  taught  rhetoric 
and   natural  philosophy,  with  great  success.     He  was  or- 
dained priest  by  Mgr.  Blanc,  archbishop  of  New  Orleans,  on 
the  29th  of  August,  1845.     From  that  period  until  his  death, 
he  faithfully  fulfilled  as  a  true  religious  all  the  charges  which 
were  confided  to  him  by  his  superiors.    The  cities  of  St. 
Louis,  of  Cincinnati,  Chillicothe,  Bardstown,  and  Louisville, 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


charity,  I 

to  request 

sase.     The 

)llows,  will 

Y  of  Jesus, 
diocese  of 
3,  he  pur- 
Thielt,  in 
college  of 
lose  name 
fics,  which 
y  excellent 
the  exam- 
1,  took  the 
ricau  mis- 
)  month  of 
barked  for 
le  21st  of 
iate  of  the 
probation, 
'sity  of  St. 
acquiring 
particular, 
was  after- 
d  Coteau, 
it  rhetoric 
e  was  or- 
*rleans,  on 
his  death, 
ges  which 
ies  of  St. 
Louisville, 


497 


were  successively  witnesses  of  his  zeal  and  hvboi-s.  Although 
suft'oririg,  during  scveml  years,  with  a  painful  disease  in  both 
legs,  he  always  acquitted  himself  with  fidelity  in  every  duty 
of  the  charges  confided  to  him  by  his  superiors,  and  his  zeal 
even  appeanid  to  nugmcMt  with  his  Hiifferings. 

Father  d'lloop  attracted  every  heart  by  his  religious  sim- 
plicity, and  his  charity  and  zeal. 

He  contracted  the  malady,  of  which  ho  died,  on  return- 
ing from  a  mission  given  in  Madison,  the  capital  of  Indiana. 
Filled  with  confidence  in  God,  and  with  proofs  of  an  entire 
submission  to  the  divine  will,  he  gave  up  his  soul  to  his  Cre- 
ator, at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  on  the  23d  of  March,  1855. 

The  next  day,  a  solemn  high  mass  was  celebrated  in  the 
cathedral,  at  which  the  bishop  and  a  greater  part  of  the 
cleigy  of  the  city  assisted.  Bishop  Spalding  himself  offi- 
ciated at  the  obsequies,  and  with  his  accustomed  eloquence 
pronounced  the  eulogium  of  the  departed.  His  mortal  re- 
mains repose  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  Joseph's  college,  Bards- 
town. 

The  Very  Rev.  Mr.  du  Pontavice,  vicar-general  and  pastor 
oi'  Madison,  wrote  us  a  very  consoling  letter:  "I  learned," 
says  he,  "the  death  of  the  Rev.  Father  d'lloop  at  the 
moment  when  I  was  vesting  to  celebrate  the  holy  sacrifice 
on  Passion  Sunday.  :  forgot  my  text ;  your  letter  took  its 
place.  I  spoke  of  his  death,  but  I  fear  not  to  have  edified 
as  much  as  I  ought  to  have  done,  for  my  voice  was  inter- 
rupted with  sobs.  I  will  add,  that  the  whole  of  my  numer- 
ous auditory  was  in  tears. 

"  At  the  holy  altar  I  recnlJed  the  blessed  moments  of  his 
presence.  Here  he  celebrated  mass.  In  this  chair  of  truth 
his  eloquent  and  most  edifying  words  were  heard ;  words 
which  converted  so  many  sinners,  imparted  tranquillity  and 
peace  to  souls  hitherto  troubled,  and  called  forth  abundant 

42* 


498 


WE8TEEN  MISSIONS 


tears  of  holy  joy  and  happiness.    My  heart  was  poured  forth, 
so  to  speak,  from  my  eyes. 

"I  shall  never  forget  the  moments  that  he  passed  with  me 
at  my  house.     I  seem  yet  to  hear  the  consoling  words,  so 
fraught  with  heavenly  wisdom,  which  his  lips  pronounced. 
As  a  man  of  God,  and  as  a  scholar,  we  found  in  him  an  in- 
exhaiistible   treasure  of  varied  and  extensive  information. 
At  the  hrst  impression  of  the  idea  that  the  last  days  of  his 
apostolic   life  were   devoted   to  me,   my  heart  was  over- 
whelmed  with  grief;  but  on  a  moment's  reflection  calm  ioy 
succeeded  to  sorrow.    Father  d'Hoop  was  ripe  for  heaven, 
and  I  rejoice  that  it  was  in  my  parish  he  exerted  his  last 
effor    to  obtain  the  crown  of  immortality,  and  that  my 
parishioners  received  his  last  adieux.    Prostrate  before  the 
iiigh  a  tar  he  pronounced  the  words  of  consecration  to  the 
sacred  hearts  of  Jesus  and  of  Mary,  for  the  pastor  and  his 
flock,"  etc.,  etc. 

•  Accept,  <fec.,  &c., 

P.  J.  De  Smet,  S.  J. 


AND  MIS8I0NAEIES. 


499 


Letter  XLIIL 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  PrScis  Historiques,  Brussels. 

Death  of  the  Right  Rev.  Dr.  Van  de  Velde,  Bishop  of  Natchez. 

St.  Louis,  December  1,  1855. 
Reverend  Father: 

It  is  with  the  deepest  sorrow,  wliich  will  be  shared  by 
all  our  brethren  in  Belgium,  and  by  the  numerous  friends  of 
the  prelate,  that  we  announce  the  demise  of  Dr.  Van  de 
Velde,  bishop  of  Natchez. 

Although  the  venerable  prelate  was  far  advanced  in  age 
and  notwithstanding  the  length  of  an  apostolical  career,  the' 
unmterrupted  labors  of  which  had  excited  the  admiration  of 
the  United  States,  every  thing  induced  the  hope  that  he 
would,  during  a  long  period  to  come,  bear  the  burden  of  the 
episcopate.  His  unexpected  death  was  a  severe  blow  to  all 
v.ho  knew  him.  It  is  an  immense,  we  had  almost  said  an 
irreparable,  loss  to  the  city  of  Natchez. 

James  Oliver  Van  de  Velde  was  born  on  the  3d  of  April  1 795 
in  the  environs  of  Termonde,  Belgium.  At  this  epoch,  the 
country  was  strongly  agitated  by  the  partisans  of  the  French 
revolution.  While  yet  very  young,  he  was  confided  to  the 
care  of  a  pious  aunt,  in  the  village  of  St.  Amand,  in  Flan- 
ders. A  confessor  of  the  faith,  a  worthy  priest  from 
France,  escaped  from  the  persecution  which  afflicted  his 
native  country,  had  found  a  retreat  in  the  same  family.  It 
was  he  who  formed  the  mind  and  heart  of  the  yo\ithful 


500 


WE8TEUN   MISSIONS 


Jftmea,  and  directed  his  education  with  assi.luoim  care  and 
un  weaned  toil.  Juiucs  soon  becanio  the  ffivorito  cinld  of  the 
clergy  of  St.  Aniand.  IIo  manifested  from  \m  tender  in- 
fancy a  lively  desire  to  embrace,  at  a  future  day,  the  ccelesi- 
astical  state.  In  1810,  ho  was  placed  in  a  boarding-school 
near  Ghent,  where  his  talents  distinguished  him  amonrr  hj^ 
Bchool-mates.  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  taught  French 
and  Flemish,  at  I»uers,  for  two  or  three  years. 

While  he  was   engaged  in  teaching,  the  religious  and 
political  situation  of  the  country  changed.     In  consequence 
ot  the  battle   of  Waterloo,  the  congress  of  Vienna  reunited 
]3elgiuni  to  Holland,  under  William  I.,  of  Orange,  a  Calvin- 
ist,  violent  against  the  Catholic  religion.     Like  many  others, 
the  youthful  professor,  impatient  of  the  oppressive  yoke  un- 
der which  his  native  land  was  bowed,  formed  the  project  of 
retiring  into  England,  or  into  Italy.     With  this  intention,  he 
studied  the  languages  of  these  two  countries.   But  his  former 
benefactor  and  confessor,  the  Very  Rev.  M.  Verlooy,  director 
of  the  seminary  of  Mechlin,  encouraged  him,  and  proposed 
to  him  to  accept,  in  his  new  institution,  a  class  of  Latin,  of 
French,  and  of  Flemish,  and  to  enter  his  name  at  the  same 
time  on  the  list  of  the  pupils  of  the  great  archiepiscopal 
seminary.     It  was  there  that  he  perfected  liimself  in  the 
direction  of  the  Latin  classes,  and  that  he  studied  the  ele- 
ments of  logic,  and  of  speculative  theology. 

However,  as  the  intention  of  quitting  his  country  ever 
remained  present  in  his  mind,  his  pious  and  zealous  director 
counselled  him  to  devote  himself  to  foreign  missions.  To 
this  effect,  he  was  presented  to  the  Eev.  Charles  Nerinckx, 
the  celebrated  missionary  of  Kentucky,  who,  on  his  return 
from  Eome,  and  some  time  before  leaving  for  the  United 
States,  came  to  Mechlin.  After  he  had  informed  himself 
concerning  the  state  of  the  missions,  and  they  had  deliber- 


AND  MIS8I0NARIKS. 


501 


lous  caro  and 
to  child  of  tlio 
lis  tender  in- 
y,  the  ecclosi- 
>aidirig-8chool 
tn  ainuiig  his 
lught  French 

religions  and 
consequence 
enna  reunited 
ige,  a  Calvin- 
many  others, 
sive  yoke  un- 
iie  project  of 
intention,  he 
Jut  his  former 
looy,  director 
md  proposed 
of  Latin,  of 
at  the  same 
rchiepiscopal 
mself  in  the 
lied  the  ele- 

Jountry  ever 
lous  director 
lissions.  To 
!s  Neriuckx, 
1  his  return 
the  United 
ned  himself 
had  deliber- 


ated on  tlio  continuation  of  his  theological  studies,  it  was 
agreed  that  he  should  accompany  Mr.  Nerinckx,  and  that, 
after  terminating  his  ihoological  courso  in  the  seminary  of 
Bihhop  Flaget,  he  should  devote  himself  to  the  exercises  of 
the  sacred  ministry.     But  Providence  disposed  otherwise. 

Mr.  Nerinckx  quitted  Europe  on  tlio  ICth  of  May,  1817, 
accompanied  by  several  young  Belgians,  destined  to  the 
novitiate  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  at  Georgetown,  and  among 
them  was  young  Van  de  Velde.  But  this  last  named,  before 
the  arrival  of  the  ship  in  the  port  of  Baltimore,  fell,  during 
a  tempest,  and  burst  a  blood-vessel.  Having  lost  a  great 
deal  of  blood,  ho  was  obliged  to  be  transported  to  St.  Mary's ; 
even  after  his  convalescence,  he  was  incapable  of  continuing 
his  voyage  as  far  as  Kentucky.  The  Kev.  Mr.  Bruto,  who 
was  then  president  of  the  seminary,  tried  to  induce  him  to 
remain  in  Baltimore ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nerinckx,  on  the  con- 
trary, counselled  him  strongly  to  follow  his  travelling  com- 
panions to  Geoigetown,  and  remain  with  them  in  the  novi- 
tiate of  the  Society  of  Jesus.  He  was  received  with  great 
kindness  and  charity  by  the  Rev.  Anthony  Kohlmann,  then 
superior  of  the  missions  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  in  America. 

After  two  years  of  novitiate,  he  was  admitted  to  the  sim- 
ple vows,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  society,  and  named 
prefect  of  classes.  At  the  same  time  he  applied  assiduously 
to  the  study  of  poetry,  of  rhetoric,  and  philosophy.  Such 
was  his  progress,  that  he  was  named  professor  of  belles- 
lettres. 

In  1827,  at  thirty-three  years  of  age,  he  was  ordained 
priest,  in  Baltimore,  by  Archbishop  Marechal.  During  the 
two  years  that  he  was  applying  to  the  study  of  moral  and 
polemical  theology,  he  exercised  the  functions  of  chaplain  of 
the  Convent  and  Academy  of  the  Visitation,  at  Georgetown. 
In.  1829,  he  was  charged  with  the  missions  of  Rockville  and 


502 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


r 


vm 


^^^n '  jH^^^H 

1 

■■^m  .-^saM^am 

^B'i^^H 

^^^^Rt  4                                   I^B 

^H'  '-   '  Hm 

Hj^H 

of  Rock  Creek,  Montgomery  county,  Marylnnd.     Durinir 
the  autumn  of  ISJJl,  his  fiupcriors  sent  him  to  St.  Louif 
where  a  college  had   hitely  been  erected  mul  was  in  full 
activity,  under  the  direction  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  nnd  the 
patronage   of  Bishop  Rosati.      He   was   welcomed    by  his 
brethren  there  with  sincere  and  joyful  cordiality,      Sooa 
after,  Lo  was  named  profcHsor  of  rhetoric  and  of  mathe- 
matics.    In  1833,  he  filled  the  office  of  vice-president  and 
of  procurator  of  the  college,  which  had  just  been  elevated 
to  the  rank  of  university.     Ue  retained  this  post  until  1837 
the  epoch  of  his  admission  to  the  solemn  vows.    He  wag 
named  procurator  of  the   vice-province  of  Missouri,  with- 
out  ceasing  to    be    vice-president    of  the  university.      In 
1840,  he  became  president  of  the  university  of  St.  Louis.* 
The  year  after,  being  chosen  representative  of  the  vice-pro'v- 
ince,  m  the  congregation  of  Procurators,  he   set  out  for 
Rome,  where  he  had  several  audiences  with  the  Sovereign 
Pontiff  Gregory  XVI.     On  his  return  to  St.  Louis,  he  con- 
tinued his  functions  as  president  of  the  university,  until  the 
month  of  September,  1843,  when  he  was  named  vice-provin- 
cial  of  Missouri.     Under  his  administration,  several  churches 
were  bmlt,  as  well  as  a  more  spacious  house  of  novitiate: 
the  colleges  and  the  missions  continued  to  flourish.    In  1848 
he  had,  anew,  the  office  of  procurator  of  the  vice-province 
and  of  socius  of  the  provincial,  and  accompanied  his  superior 
to  the  council  of  Baltimore. 

Many  prelates  had  been  acquainted  with  him  for  years 
His  talents,  his  zeal,  and  his  piety,  induced  them  to  propose 
him  to  the  Pope  for  the  see  of  Chicago.    In  the  month  of 
JVovember  of  the  same  year,  he  received  liis  bulls.     It  was 


atlhtVmof '°'  ^"^^"'"^  ^^  ^'"^  °''  '^'  ''^  '^  '^^^'  ^S"»  ^««  P"°ted 


AND  MISeiONABIEi, 


508 


only  on  tho  opinion  of  the  nrchbiHhop  of  St.  Louis  and  of 
three  theologinns,   who  decided  that  tho    docnmeuts  from 
Home  contaiii.Ml  a  formal  command  on  tl.o  part  of  the  Sov- 
en'.gn  Tontifl;  that  ho  would  accept  tho  nomination.     He 
was  consecrated  bisiiop,  on  Soxagesima  Sunday,  February 
11,  1840,  by  tho  Archbishop  of  St.  Louis,  tho  Most  liev. 
Peter  R.  Kenrick,  assisted  by  Dishops  Loras  and  Miles.    The 
Kight  Rev.  Dr.  Spalding  pronounced  a  discourse  adapted  to 
tho  consecration.    This  ceremony  took  place  in  tho  church 
of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  attached  to  tho  university. 
^    Bishop  Van  de  Veldo  firht  visited  the  country  contained 
in  his  extensive  diocese,  which  is  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Louis 
ne  only  reached  Chicago  on  Palm  Sunday,  the  day  on  which 
lie  took  possession  of  his  episcopal  see. 

Bishop  Van  de  Veldo  had  suffered   during  many  years 
with  rheumatic  pains ;  he  soon  perceived  that  the  cold  and 
damp  climate  of  Chicago  was  extremely  injurious  to  him. 
Ihe  Roman  revolution  hindered  the  prelate  from  addressing 
himself  to  the  Sovereign  Pontiff;  as  soon  as  order  was  re- 
established,  he  wrote  to  tho  Holy  Father,  requesting  him  to 
accept  his  resignation,  and  permit  him  to  return  to  his  for- 
mer  companions  of  the  Society  of  Jesus.     He  received  a 
reply  from  Cardinal  Fransoni,  which  encouraged  him  to  bear 
the  burden  of  the  episcopate  with  patience  and  resignation. 
Some  time  after,  on  the  occasion  of  troubles  and  difficulties 
which  arose  in  the  diocese,  and  which  had  an  unhappy  in- 
fluence  on  his  corporal  ailments.  Bishop  Van  de  Velde  wrote 
anew  to  Rome,  imploring  the  Holy  See  to  accept  his  resig- 
nation.     The  affair  was  submitted  to  the  decision  of  the  first 
national  council  which  was  to  be  held  in  Baltimore,  in  the 
spring  of  the  year  1852.     This  council  resolved  to  create 
a   new  diocese  of  Quincy,  for  the  southern    portion  of 
Ilhnois ;   but  it  decided  that  for  thfl  aHvan+on.. 


I  III! 


1  • 


'M*" 


504 


WUSTUKN   MISSIONS 


cago,   Bisliop  Viin    tlo   Vclde,  should   not  bo  trnngforred 
to  it. 

The  bishop  intended  visitinjr  Franco  and  Bolgiuni  after 
Iho  couiiril;  he  rcHolved  to  extend  his  voyuj^o  as  fur  an 
Komu,  and  to  boar  in  perHon  \m  petitions  to  iho  throne  of 
St.  I'etcr.  Having  been  selected  ty  bear  the  decrees  of  the 
council,  he  reached  Uomo  on  the  22d  of  Juno.  Tins  IX.  re- 
ceived Bishop  Van  do  Veldo  with  the  greatest  affability. 
After  two  audiences,  Dr.  Van  do  Veldo  received  the  desired 
response,  viz.,  that  ho  should  bo  restored  to  the  Society  of 
Jesus,  even  in  quality  of  titular  bishop,  and  that  ho  should 
be  transferred  to  a  milder  and  more  favorable  climate. 
Bishop  Van  de  Veldo  (juitted  Rome  on  the  10th  of  Septem- 
ber. After  visiting  some  parts  of  France,  Germany,  and 
Belgium,  he  assisted  at  Li6go  at  the  consecration  of  Mgr. 
do  Montpellior.  IIo  cinbarked  at  Liverpool  on  tho  l7th  of 
November,  and  arrived  at  Now  York  on  tho  28th  of  tho 
same  month. 

After  his  return  to  Chicago,  he  repeated  his  episcopal  visit 
of  the  diocese.  It  was  during  this  circuit  that  ho  received 
his  brief  of  nomination  to  tho  vacant  see  of  Natchez,  to 
which  he  had  himself  asked  to  be  transferred.  The  majority 
of  the  clergy  and  of  the  faithful  in  Chicago  received  with 
deep  regret  the  news  that  they  were  to  bo  deprived  of  tho 
presence  of  their  excellent  and  worthy  bishop,  who  had 
labored  with  so  much  zeal  and  ardor  for  their  well-being, 
and  had  done  so  much  for  the  propagation  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion in  Illinois.  Under  his  administration  seventy  churches 
had  been  commenced,  and  the  greater  number  of  them  com- 
pleted, lie  had  constructed  two  Orphan  Asylums,  without 
mentioning  other  establishments  and  important  works. 

Mgr.  Van  de  Velde  was  obliged  to  remain  some  time  in 
the  place  as  administrator  of  Chicago  and  Quiucy,  because 


AND   MISSION  A  KIK8. 


505 


bo   trftn»ferrcd 


the  Rov.  ^r,•.  Mdcht-r,  nanu;.I  bW.op  of  Qui.irv  m<]  mlnilnis. 
tmtor  of  ChioHKo,  lm.I  tmt  aci'«|)t.-l  lii»  i,.,i„i,',,,tion.  It  was 
only  on  the  3.1  of  Noveiub..r,  185.1,  Rfter  huvinir  purohnHed 
H  bi'mitiAil  piece  of  huxl  us  a  hUo  for  ih«  future  cathe.lrHl  of 
QuM.ey,  that  Bishop  Van  do  VeMo  .p.itfed  his  numerous 
friends  in  Chicago  and  set  out  for  Natchez.  He  airivrd 
there  on  tho  23d  of  the  sn.no  month,  and  wan  most  joyfully 
received  by  tho  clerj^y  and  all  the  people.  His  great  reputa- 
tion had  preceded  him.  On  the  18th  of  December,  after 
having  assisted  at  tho  consecration  of  tho  lit.  He  v.  A  Mar- 
tin at  New  Orleans,  and  after  making  a  siuritual  retreat  at 
Spring  II.Il  College,  near  Mobile,  he  assumed  possession  of 
U18  now  diocese. 

Tho  bishop  undertook,  with  fresh  zeal,  tho  administration 
of  his  new  charge,  and  exerte.l  himself  to  extend  tho  cause 
of  religion  in  the  State  of  Mississippi.  Ho  immediately 
visited  tho  dirterent  congregations,  in  order  to  become  ao- 
quainted  with  all  the  necessities  of  his  diocese,  made  effort* 
to  procure  apostolical  laborers  in  this  section  of  tho  Master's 
vineyard,  founded  two  schools,  and  took  measures  for  com- 
pleting  the  cathedral  of  Natchez,  and  of  erecting  a  college 
in  It.  For  this  purpose  he  purchased  a  beautiful  site  in  the 
suburbs  of  tho  city.  But  God,  in  his  impenetrable  designs, 
called  the  good  bishop  to  himself,  before  ho  could  realize  all 
the  plans  he  had  conceived  for  tho  well-being  of  religion,  and 
tho  instruction  of  the  flock  confided  to  him. 

Uis  death  had,  in  its  causes,  a  most  afflicting  character; 
ho  was  so  unfortunate  on  the  23d  of  last  October,  as  to  fall 
on  the  stairway  and  break  his  log  in  two  places.  This  dis- 
tressing news  spread  rapidly  among  the  Catholic  population. 
The  faithful  hastened  in  crowds  to  the  episcopal  residence, 
m  order  to  express  their  sorrow  to  their  beloved  pastor,  and 
tender  him  all  the  coiisolaiions  and  assistance  of  which  they 

48  ^ 


0Od 


wtsTiBM  Mieeioirt 


wew  capable.  The  inflammation  of  the  leg,  exdt#<!  at  flril 
a  flight  fovor,  which  boom  aMumcd  the  type  of  yollow-fover, 
and  provokt'd  agonizing  convulsioni  during  wverHl  day». 
During  hII  his  ilhicM,  tlui  bishop  evint:c«l  hu  Hutoninhing 
patieuco,  a  peifctt  rcHignHtion  to  the  will  of  God,  a  truly 
(Jhriatian  calm,  and  that  amid  the  »over«8t  triula  and  mowt 
painful  iufferings.  Having  received  the  la<it  convolutions  of 
the  Church  with  groat  devotion,  he  committed  his  soul  into 
the  bantU  of  hi»  Maker  on  the  l/Jth  of  Norcraber,  the  feiiat 
of  St.  Stauisluus,  in  whone  houoi  ho  bad  juet  anisbod  a 
uovena. 

The  exposition  of  the  body  of  the  venerable  deceased 
offered  a  solemn  and  very  imposing  spenaclo.  The  corpse, 
covered  with  the  episcopnl  vc8tmcnt^  deposited  in  a  rich 
sarcophagus  of  metal,  was  placed  in  the  epiHcopa!  abode,  on 
a  catafalque  in  the  form  of  a  cro8^  to  which  they  had  given 
an  mchnation  so  as  to  give  the  corpse  the  appearance  of  be- 
ing partly  erect.  He  remained  thus  expoacd  during  the 
whole  night  which  succeeded  his  death.  A  great  number 
of  persons  of  all  grades  of  society  and  of  different  religions 
creeds,  visited  the  mortal  remains  of  the  venerable  prelate. 
These  visits  were  prolonged  until  late  in  the  night.  A  sweet 
smile  seemed  to  animate  the  features  of  tbe  deceased ;  to  see 
bis  eyes  partly  opened,  one  would  have  supposed  that  he  was 
attentively  listening,  and  with  pleasure  to  those  who  sur- 
rounded him,  and  that  he  was  preparing  to  answer  thf  Jr 
questions.  The  spectators  could  scarcely  credit  that  he  was 
DO  more.  Efforts  had  to  be  made,  especially  by  the  Catholics, 
to  tear  themselves  from  their  respected  pastor  and  father. 

The  obsequies  took  place  on  the  14th,  at  nine  o'clock,  in  St. 
Mary's  cathedral,  in  the  midst  of  an  immense  concourse  of 
people,  gathered  to  pay  their  last  tribute  of  respect  and  af- 
fectioa  to  their  venerated  bishop. 


;dt«<I  At  flrtt 
jollow-fcver, 
Mvoral  i\hy§, 
atitotiiKlting 
io<l,  a  truly 
h  and  moAt 
iKoUtionx  of 
his  Roul  into 
>er,  tho  fcuat 
b  flninhod  a 

»Ie  dccoMcd 
The  corj)«e, 
li  in  a  rich 
nl  abode,  on 
y  had  given 
runco  of  be- 
during  the 
cat  number 
snt  religions 
nble  prelate, 
t.  A  swcot 
ised ;  to  see 
that  he  was 
le  who  8ur- 
nawer  thrtr 
that  he  was 
e  Catholics, 
d  father. 
2lock,  in  St. 
mcourse  of 
)ect  and  af- 


AJTD  MtUlOKARIEl. 
The  .o!cn.n  tnns.  was  sung  by  the  Mo«t  Rev. 


50T 


Anthonj 

„,,,,    WW     p  ':  "I/-;-  <^>fioan«,  assiated  by  the  Itovor- 

end   MM.    Franc.   X.   Loroy,  (irignon,  and    Pont.     Th. 
Uov.  father  Tch.o<lor,  of  the  .uoioty.  pronounced  the  funo.ol 
d.«cour.c.     Aft<,r  the  sorviee,  the  ollln  was  deposited  in  . 
vauk  picparod  cxpronsly  under  th.,  sanctuary  of  the  cathedral. 
We  coimnond  the  soul  of  HiHhop  Van  .le   Velde,  our 
venerable  brother  in  Christ,  to  the  suoriflee.  an.l  prayer,  of 
our  dear  fathers  and  brothers  in  nelgi„.n.  and  to  the  devout 
remembrance  of  the  numerous  friendn  of  the  deceased 
I  have  the  honor  to  be  with  the  deepest  respect, ' 
Itovfirend  FaLlier, 

Your  most  humble 

and  devoted  servant, 

P.  J.  Dfi  Smit,  S.  /, 


508 


WK8TKRN   airSSIONS 


n 


Letter  XLIV. 

To  THE  Editor  of  the  Pjiftcis  IIisTouiQUEg,  Brusseis. 

JoJin  Nvlili. 

Univebsitv  or  St.  Louis,  Jan.  18th,  1858. 
Rev.. AND  DEAR  Father  : 

^  You  pnblislied  a  sliort  notice  of  Father  Nobili  in  the 
Precis  Uisioriqucs  for  1857,  page  284.  Moreover,  our  very 
Kev.  Father  General  has  given  you  a  token  of  his  paternal 
kindness,  by  sending  you  a  letter  and  copy  of  a  correspond- 
ence with  Father  Congiato,  the  new  superior  of  the  mission, 

on  the  death  of  his  predecessor,  also  published  by  you,  pajro 
293.  ^  ^     '  1  b 

I  send  you  as  a  complement  to  these  data,  an  extract 
from^  the  San  Francisco  Herald  of  March  20,  1856,  which 
consists  in  a  biographical  notice  of  Father  Nobili.  Will 
you  be  so  good  as  to  translate  it  if  you  fiud  it  sufficiently 
iuterestinff. 


On  Monday,  March  3d,  funei-al  rites  were  rendered  to 
Father  John  Nobili,  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  superior  of  the 
college  of  Santa  Clara. 

The  news  of  his  death  spread  with  great  lapidity,  in  all 
the  country  around.  This  religious  was  gen.^rally  known  in 
the  whole  State,  and  all  those  who  enjoyed  his  acquaintance 
could  not  refrain  from  enierlaining  the  highest  esteem  for 
him,  and,  very  often,  a  very  pruibuud  attachment.     It  can, 


AMD  MISSI0NABIE8. 


1)09 


i,  Brussels. 


in.  18th,  1858. 

Nobili  in  the 
lOver,  our  very 
f  his  paternal 
a  correspond- 
f  the  mission, 
I  by  you,  piigo 

ta,  an  extract 
',  1856,  which 
Nobili.  Will 
it  sufBciently 


'  rendered  to 
uperior  of  the 

ipidity,  iu  all 
'illy  known  in 
acqu;iintance 
'st  esteem  for 
lent.     It  can. 


therefore,  be  easily  understood  what  lively  sorrow  this  mel- 
ancholy news  excited.  At  San  Francisco,  in  particular,  when 
the  telegraph  transmitted  this  sad  announcement,  an  inde- 
scribable mourning  covered,  so  to  speak,  the  whole  city. 
The  sadness  and  dejection  manifested  on  every  side,  made 
known  that  all  had  lost  an  excellent  friend,  and  that  Cali- 
fornia had  experienced  a  great,  a  public  loss.  Only  a  short 
time  before,  this  worthy  religious  had  been  seen  in  the 
streets  of  San  Francisco,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that 
-we  could  be  persuaded  that  he  was  no  more,  and  that  hence- 
forth he  would  never  appear  in  our  midst. 

Father  Nobili  was  born  in  Rome,  on  the  8th  of  April, 
1812.  His  parents,  distinguished  for  their  piety,  educated 
their  children  in  accordance  with  the  correct  principles  of 
Christian  morality.  His  mother,  of  whom  he  ever  spoke 
with  the  most  aftectionate  respect,  was  a  model  of  all  those 
virtues  that  form  the  ornament  of  a  mother.  His  father  was 
a  lawyer. 

John,  while  yet  young,  was  confided  to  excellent  masters. 
His  progress,  in  the  diflFerent  studies  to  which  he  applied, 
could  easily  presage  much  that  is  elevated  in  riper  years. 
Endowed  with  natural  talents,  of  a  superior  order,  he  em- 
ployed his  efforts  in  developing  them,  and  his  masters  found 
the  task  of  adorning  his  faculties  and  increasing  his  informa- 
tion, easy  and  agreeable.  But,  at  the  same  time  that  his 
understanding  acquired  maturity,  his  heart,  that  portion 
which  is  so  neglected  in  our  day  in  the  plans  of  education, 
was  not  left  to  itself  in  order  to  be  overrun,  like  an  uutilled 
soil,  by  noxious  weeds.  The  seeds  of  virtue  were  planted 
betimes.  They  cast  deep  roots,  and  acquired  a  great  strength 
long  before  the  passions  and  a  corrupt  world  could  turn 
them  aside  with  evil  principles,  or  even  give  them  a  bad 
tendency.    The  pious  counsels  of  his  mother  were  always 

43* 


610 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


for  John  Nobili  an  efficacious  stirnulant  to  virtue,  and  lie 
look  care  never  to  forget  tlieni.  The  pious  wishes  of  his 
parents  were  realized,  and  nil  their  tender  cares  fully  recom- 
pensed by  the  progress  of  tiicir  son  iu  fervor  and  in  devoliou, 
as  well  as  in  profane  sciences. 

But  their  joy  was  complete  when  ho  told  them,  at  an  ago 
still  tender,  the  generous  resolution  that  he  had  taken  of 
consecratiug  himself  entirely  to  the  service  of  God.  He  was 
then  only  sixteen  years  of  age.  Having  finished  his  first 
course  of  studies  in  the  Roman  colleofc,  he  entered  the  Soci 
ety  of  Jesus  on  the  14th  of  November,  1828. 

During  his  novitiate  (a  period  of  probation  destined  tf 
show  whether  the  candidate  possesses  the  qualities  necessary 
for  living  iu  accordance  with  the  rules  of  the  society),  he  was 
distinguished  for  his  regularity  and  his  punctuality.  Hi» 
dispositions  were  noble.  His  superiors  named  him  Prefec/* 
of  the  Novices.  ^ 

Later,  his  talents  proved  so  brilliant  that  when  he  wa» 
studying  humanities  and  rhetoric,  his  compositions  in  Latir 
poetry  and  other  verse,  were  read  in  all  the  public  sitting? 
■without  being  subjected  to  any  previous  correction.  Ir 
1831,  he  commenced  the  study  of  philc«ophy.  In  1834^ 
appointed  to  teach  the  humanities,  he  taught  them  in  the 
Roman  college,  and  in  the  colleges  of  Loretto,  Piacenza,  anc* 
Ferrao.  The  superiors  had  so  exalted  an  opinion  of  his  ac- 
quisitions in  rhetoric,  that  he  was  appointed  to  preside  over 
the  public  exercises  of  five  colleges  of  his  order  in  Italy. 
He  began  his  theological  studies  in  1840,  and  was  ordained 
priest  in  1843. 

A  short  time  after,  he  asked  and  obtained  the  permission 
to  go  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  savages  of  North  Amer- 
ica. In  company  with  Father  De  Smet,  he  sailed  to  Ore- 
gon, by  Cape  Horn,  towards  the  end  of  th«  year  1843. 


i   ! 


AND   MISSION  A  lilKS. 


611 


irtuc,  and  lie 

ivislies  of  his 

fully  recom- 

1  iu  devoliou, 

rii,  at  an  ago 
lad  taken  of 
rod.  lie  wa» 
bed  his  first 
red  tho  Soci 

destined  tf 

ies  necessary 

iiety),  he  was 

tuality.     Hi* 

him  Prefect 

m 
vhen  he  wa» 

ons  in  Latir 

hlic  sittingr 

rrection.     Ir 

r.     In   1834, 

them  in  the 

'iacenza,  anc* 

)n  of  his  ac- 

preside  over 

]er  in  Italy. 

^as  ordained 

3  permission 
'^orth  Amer- 
iled  to  Ore- 
year   1843, 


Durmg  this  irksome  passage,  which  hisled  nearly  eight 
n.ontl.s  he  was  subjected  to  great  privations,  and  was  at- 
ticked  by  a  disease  of  the  pericardium.  Ou  arriving  at 
lort  Vancouver,  he  was  intrusted  with  the  s].iritual  cai'e  of 
tlje  Canadians,  who  are  employed  by  the  Hudson  IJay 
Company,  as  well  as  of  the  Indians,  the  number  of  whom 
IS  very  considerable  along  the  shores  of  the  Columbia.  Tho 
ship  m  which  ho  ascended  was  near  perishing  on  tho  bar  oi 
the  Columbia.  The  captain  was  three  days  in  discovering 
the  mouth  of  the  river.  At  last  it  was  indicated  to  him  by 
tho  sight  of  a  vessel  which  was  coming  out  of  it. 

On  arriving  with  his  companions  in  Oregon,  Father  No- 
bili  found  himself  in  presence  of  an  epidemic.  It  was  a  vir- 
ulent type  of  dysentery,  and  it  was  considered  contagious. 
The  physicians  attributed  it  to  tho  deleterious  qualities  of  the 
river  water.  A  great  number  of  savages  died  of  it,  espe- 
cialUr  among  tho  Tchinooks,  and  tho  Indians  of  the  Cas- 
cacJ^s.  They  were,  for  the  most  part,  encamped  along  the 
rivers,  m  order  to  be  able  to  go  to  Fort  Vancouver  and  ob, 
tarn  the  advice  of  a  physician.  This  was  a  favorable  oppor- 
tunity of  exercising  tho  holy  ministry,  and  Father  Nobili 
seized  it  with  tho  greatest  zeal. 

He  applied  carefully  to  the  study  of  the  language  of  the 
Indians,  and,  after  a  short  time,  he  was  capable  of  speakino- 
several  dialects.  In  the  month  of  June,  1845,  the  Father 
set  forth  for  Willamette,  accompanied  by  a  brother  novice, 
to  visit  the  tribes  of  New  Caledonia,  among  which  he  made 
several  apostolical  excursions. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  give  any  other  (in  this  notice) 
than  a  feeble  idea  of  the  miseries,  privations,  and  sufferings 
of  good  Father  Nobili  during  his  sojourn  among  the  savage 
tribes.  The  following  description  will  furnish  ns  with  some 
information  concerning  the  country.    We  extract  it  from  th« 


mw 


512 


WiiSTIiRN   MISSIONS 


work  of  Father  do  Smct,  entitled,  "  Oregon  Missions/'  No. 
yiL,  p.  122.  "We  traversed  waving  forests  of  pine  and  cedar, 
in  which  dayhght  scarcely  penetrated.  Ere  lung  we  entered 
sombre  forests  in  which  wo  were  obliged  to  clear  a  road,  axe 
in  hand,  in  order  to  avoid  those  collections  of  trees  over- 
thrown and  piled  up  by  the  tempests  of  autumn.  Some  of 
these  forests  are  so  dense,  that  at  the  distance  of  twelve  feet 
I  was  unable  to  distinguish  my  guide.  The  safest  means  of 
extricating  one's  self  from  these  labyrinths,  is  for  the  rider 
to  trust  to  the  sagacj  of  his  horse.  If  the  reins  are  aban- 
doned to  him,  he  will  follow  the  foot-prints  of  other  beasts 
of  burden.     This  expedient  has  served  me  a  hundred  times. 

"  Whatever  the  imagination  can  depict  as  frightful,  ap- 
pears to  be  aggregated  here,  to  inspire  dread.  Precipices 
and  ravines  ready  to  swallow  the  traveller;  gigantic  sum- 
mite  and  elevations  of  different  hues;  inaccessible  peaks; 
fearful  and  impenetrable  depths,  in  which  noisy  waters  are 
contmually  precipitating ;  oblique  and  narrow  paths,  by  which 
It  becomes  necessary  to  ascend ;  several  times,  indeed,  I  was 
obliged  to  take  the  attitude  of  a  quadruped  and  walk  on  my 
hands. 

"  The  natural  pyramids  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  seem  to 
challenge  the  efforts  of  human  invention.  They  serve  as  a 
resting  place  for  the  clouds  which,  descending,  surround  their 
gigantic  summite  in  sublime  repose.  The  hand  of  Omnipo- 
tence laid  their  foundations,  and  suffers  the  elements  to 
form  them,  and  fiom^  age  to  age  they  proclaim  his  glory." 

On  whatever  side  Father  Nobili  turned  his  steps  among 
these  Indian  tribes,  he  was  received  with  open  arms  and 
they  brought  him  infants  to  be  baptized.  An  extract'frora 
the  Journal  of  Father  Nobili,  dated  Fort  Colville,  June,  1856, 
and  published  in  the  Oregon  Missions,  No.  XVII.,  reveala 
the  zeal  of  the  missionary. 


AND   MISSION  A  RIFS. 


613 


issions,"  No. 
le  and  cedar, 
J  we  entered 
'  a  road,  axe 
'  trees  over- 
1.     Some  of 
'  twelve  feet 
3st  means  of 
)r  the  rider 
us  are  aban- 
other  beasts 
Ired  times, 
rightful,  ap- 
Precipices 
jantic  sum- 
ible  peaks; 
'  waters  are 
18,  by  which 
deed,  I  was 
valk  on  my 

ns,  seem  to 
^  serve  as  a 
round  their 
)f  Omnipo- 
lements  to 
J  glory." 
3ps  among 
arms,  and 
ctract  from 
^une,  1856, 
[I.,  reveals 


"While  I  remjiiiicd  at  Fort  Vancouver,  I  bni.tizcd  upwards 
of  sixty  persons,  during  u  dangi-rous  sickness  which  raged 
in  the  country.  The  majority  of  thosu  who  received  bap- 
tism, died  with  all  the  marks  of  sincere  conversifm.  On  the 
27th  of  July,  I  baptized  nitic  cliildren  at  Fort  Okinagane — 
the  cliildren  of  the  chief  of  the  Sioushwaps  were  of  the 
number.  Ho  appeared  full  of  joy  at  seeing  a  Black-fjoion 
direct  his  cour.-so  towards  their  country.  On  the  29th  I  left 
Okinagano,  and  followed  the  company.  Every  niglit  I 
prayed  with  the  whites  and  Indians.  On  the  road,  three 
old  men  came  to  me,  and  earnestly  begged  me  to  '  take 
pity  on  than,  and  prepare  them  for  heaven  P  Having  in- 
slructed  them  in  the  duties  and  principles  of  religion,  and 
the  necessity  of  baptism,  I  administered  to  them,  and  to 
forty-six  children  of  the  same  tribe,  v.  hat  seemed  to  be  the 
height  of  their  desires,  the  holy  sacrament  of  regeneration. 

"On  the  11th  cf  August,  a  tribe  of  Indians,  residing  about 
tho  Upper  Lake  on  Thompson's  Kiver,  came  to  meet  me. 
They  exhibited  towards  mo  all  the  marks  of  sincere  and 
filial  attachment.  They  followed  me  several  days  to  hear 
my  instructions,  and  only  departed  after  having  exacted  a 
promise  that  I  would  return  in  the  course  of  the  following 
autumn  or  winter,  and  make  known  to  them  the  glad  tidings 
of  salvation. 

"At  the  Fort  of  the  Sioushwaps,  I  received  a  visit  from 
all  the  chiefs,  who  congratulated  me  on  my  happy  arrival 
among  them.  They  raised  a  great  cabin  to  serve  as  a  church, 
and  as  a  place  to  teach  them  during  my  stay.  I  baptized 
twelve  of  their  children.  I  was  obliged,  when  the  salmon 
lisliing  conimonced,  to  separate  for  some  months  from  these 
dear  Indians,  and  continue  my  route  to  New  Caledonia. 

"I  arrived  at  Fort  Alexandria  on  the  25th.  All  the 
tribes  I  met  raauifested  towards  me  the  same  emotions  of 


fiU 


WEETKKN  MISSIONS 


U   ^ 


ff  >' 


i. 


joy  and  friendship.  To  my  surprise  I  found  at  the  Fort  a 
frame  church.  I  returned  in  tl.e  fall  and  remained  there  a 
nionth,  engaged  in  all  the  exercises  of  our  holy  n^inistry. 
Ihe  Carmd.ans  perfor.ned  their  religious  duties-I  juinea 
several  m  marriage,  and  adnnnistered  to  many  the  holy 
commumon.  Twenty-four  children  and  forty-seven  aduite 
received  baptism. 

"  On  the  2d  of  September,  I  ascended  the  River  Frazer, 
and  after  a  dangerous  trip,   arrived,   on  tho   12th,  at  Fort 
George    where  the   same  joy  and  allection  on  the  part  of 
he  Indians  attended  me.     Fifty  Indians  had  come  down 
from  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  patiently  awaited  my  arrival 
for  nineteen  days,  in  order  to  have  the  consolation  of  wit- 
nessing the  ceremony  of  baptism.     I  baptized  twelve  of  their 
children  and  twenty-seven  others,  of  whom  six  were  adults 
advanced  in  age.     I  performed  there  the  ceremonies  of  the 
planting  cf  the  cross. 

"On  the  14th,  the  feast  of  the  exaltation  of  the  holy 
cross,  I  ascended  the  River  Nesqually,  and  on  the  24th 
arrived  at  the  Fort  of  Lake  Stuart.     I  spent  eleven  days  in' 
gmng  mstructions  to  the  Indians,  and  had  the  happiness 
of  abohshing  the  custom  of  burning  the  dead,  and  that 
of  inflicting    orments   upon  the  bodies   of  the  surviving 
^ives   or  husbands.     They   solemnly   renounced   all   their 
ugghng  and  idolatries.     Their  great  medicine-hall,  where 
they  used  to  practise  their  superstitious  rites,  was  changed 
uto  a  church.     It  was  blessed  and  dedicated  to  God  under 
the  patronage  o    St.  F.an.is  Xavier.     The  planting  of  the 
cross  was  solemnly  performed  with  all  the  ceremonies  proper 
to  such  o<.cas,ons.     Sixteen  children  and  five  old  men  re 
ceived  baptism. 

lli«  m,s.o„  l..te.l  tw.Iv„  d.v,,  ,h,i„s  wl,ich  ti,„„  I  l.p. 


AND   MISSIONARIEa. 


616 


It  the  Fort  a 
ained  tliero  a 
loly  ministry, 
es — I  joinea 
my  tljo  holy 
•soveu  adults 

liver  Frazer, 
12  th.  at  Fort 

the  part  of 

come  down 

d  my  arrival 

ition  of  wit- 

elve  of  their 

were  adults 
3uies  of  the 

of  the  holy 
1  the  24th, 
t^en  days  in 
3  happiness 
1,  and   that 
3  surviving 
I   all   their 
hall,  where 
as  changed 
God  under 
ing  of  the 
dies  proper 
d  men  re- 

Cliilcotins. 
ne  I  bap- 


tized  eighteen  children  and  twenty-four  adults,  and  per- 
formed  eight  marriages.     I  blessed  here  the  first  cemetery 
and  buried,  with  all  the  ceremonies  of  the  ritual,  an  Indian 
w^oman  the  first  converted  to  Christianity.     I  next  vi.ited 
two  other  villages  of  the  same  tribe-in  the  first  I  bap- 
tized twenty  persons,  of  whom  three  were  adults      In  the 
second,  two  chiefs  with  thirty  of  their  nation  received  bap- 
tism,  and  two  were  united  in  matrimony.     Polygamy  pre- 
vailed everywhere,  and  everywhere  I  succeeded  in  abolishing 
It.     In  a  neighboring  tribe  I  baptized   fifty-seven  persons, 
of  whom  thirty-one  were  adults.    I  also  celebrated  nine  mar- 
riages. 

"After  ray  return  to  the  Sioushwaps,  I  baptized  forty-one 
persons,  of  whom  eleven  were  adults.  I  visited  five  more 
villages  among  the  neighboring  tribes,  among  whom  I 
baptized  about  two  hundred  persons.  I  performed  the 
ceremony  of  the  planting  of  the  cross,  in  eight  different 
places,  and  founded  four  frame  churches  which  were  con- 
structed by  the  savages. 

"  On  an  average,  each  village  or  tribe  consists  of  about  two 
hundred  souls. 

**In  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Alexandria  the 

number  of  souls  amounts  to i255 

About  Fort  George ****     o^o 

_  ,  o  • ••••      o43 

In  the  neighborhood  of  Frazer's  Lake 258 

"                Stuart's  Lake 2H 

McLeod's  Lake 80 

Fort  Rabine 1 1 90 

"                Bear  Lake gOl 

Total  number  of  souls 4233 


/ 


MG 


WKSTKKN    MISSIONS 


>  i 


"  Population  on  Thompson's  Rivur,  or  on  tlic  land  of  the 
Sioushwaj)s  or  Atnass. 


"Tho  nuinbor  of  Sioushvvaps,  so  called,  is 683 

"  of  OkiiiaguiuH ObS 

Population  on  tho  Nt)rih  1  {ranch » . .      625 

"  on  Lako  Superior 322 

**  at  the  Fountain  of  Fra/er  Like 1127 

Number  of  Knife  Indians 1530 

Total  number  of  souls 4772." 


During  his  sojourn  in  New  Caledonia,  Father  Nobili 
had  to  endure  great  piivations.  Through  the  course  of  ono 
whole  year,  his  only  subsistence  was  a  sort  of 


d 


moss  or  grass 


roots.     Ilis  chief  food  was  horse-tlesh,  i ..^ 

reduced  to  eating  the  flesh  of  dogs  and  wolves.  WJiat  he 
suffered  from  cold,  hunger,  and  other  pnvations  is  onlj 
known  to  God.     To  man,  tho  reality  would  seem  incredible. 

After  having  dwelt  among  the  savage  tribes  six  years, 
duiing  which  he  showed  himself  a  worthy  disciple  of  Jesus 
Christ,  in  bringing  back  souls  to  (  od,  and  in  eradicating  the 
vices  which  predominate  in  them,  in  obedie»ice  to  the  orders 
of  his  superiors,  he  forsook  his  dear  Indians  and  came  to 
California,  in  1849,  with  his  health  greatly  enfeebled. 

He  remained  some  time  in  San  Francisco,  and  afterwards 
■went  to  San-Joso,  in  which  place  he  tarried  until  the  spring 
of  1851.  The  whole  period  of  his  residence  there,  he  ex- 
cited the  admiration  of  that  city,  with  its  inhabitants  of 
various  religious  denominations,  by  his  indefatigable  labors. 
When  the  cholera  broke  out  in  1850,  the  horse  of  the  man 
of  God  was  saddled  day  and  night,  so  as  not  to  lose  a  minute 
of  time,  and  to  bu  able  to  vi=it  without  delay  those  who 


AND  MISSIONARIICS, 


617 


10  land  of  the 

583 

0«5 

. .»..      625 

322 

....    1127 

1530 

mi^ht  call  for  liis  sorvices.  Tlu^  labors  of  Father  Nobili  aro 
well  known  in  that  placo-they  will  livo  forever  in  the 
memory  of  those  who  received  his  UBsihtunce,  or  who  wit- 
nessed his  consiiminjjf  charity. 

In  the  spri.ig  of  185],  His  Grace  Archbishop  Aleinany 
appointed  hini  to  a  mission  in  Santa  Clara.     As  soon  as  ha^ 
entered  on   this  new  charge,  he  commenced  fonnding  tho' 
college  of   Santa  Clara.     This  college  succeeded  so  well, 
that  It  IS  known  as  the  Hrst  educational  institution  iu  tho 
State. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  speak  of  his  trials  and  his  labors  since 
tho  establishment  of  this  college— the  whole  State  knows 
and  appreciates  them.     It  is  not  an  unn.eaning  phrase  when 
wo  say  that  the  "  greater  glory  of  God,"  device  of  the  society, 
was  the  primum  mobile  of  all  has  actions.     IIow  shall  we 
express  the  deep  solitude  with  which  he  watched  over  tho 
college  ?     lie  applied  earnesLly  with  an  incessant  attention 
to  Its  increase,  to  tho  direction  of  its  progress,  to  the  pro- 
motion of  its  interests,  and  to  tho  augmentation  of  its  ma- 
terial resources.     He  exercised  a  paternal  kindness  and  cara 
towards  tho  pupils  intrusted  to  him.     lie  was  affable  and 
com])laisant  towards  those  who  visited  him,  and  displayed  a 
ready  religious  hospitality.     His  conduct  towards  all  waa 
polite  and  agreeable,  but  full  of  a  certain  dignity  which  con- 
ciliated  tho  respect  and  admiration,  not  only  of  Catholic 
laymen,  but  even  of  those  who  did  not  acknowledge  his 
clerical  character.     He  was  scrupulously  exact  in  fulnlling  the 
minor  observances  of  the  religious  rule.     Divine  service  had 
peculiar  charms  for  him;  he  loved  its  offices  and  its  liturgy, 
and  he  paid  extreme  attention  to  all  that  concerns  the  beauty 
of  the  sanctuary,  for  all  that  regards  in  any  manner  the  ex- 
terior glory  of   the  mysterious  Daughter  of  the  Kimr  of 
heaven.     In  fine,  his  strong  faith,  his  irreproachable  mau- 


518 


WESTERN    MISSIONS 


ft  , 


In 


|l  : 


ners,  his  puro  Wk,  his  zeal,  hi»  charity,  and  \m  other  count, 
less  virtues,  caused  liim  to  HJiinc  as  a  burning  light  before  hit 
own  people,  and  before  "  those  without." 

All  these  traits,  and  a  great  number  of  others  not  less  r«y. 
markablo,  are  precious  in  the  sight  of  God,  full  of  ediflcatioa 
for  men,  and  do  honor  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased.     It 
is  unnecessary  that  wo  should  dwell  longer  upon  them,  or 
develop  them  more  at  length  ;  the  radiance  which  already 
surrounds  them,  has  bestowed  a  lustre  to  which  no  words  of 
ours  can  add.     However,  wo  cannot  refrain  from  relating  one 
more  circumstance  :  it  is  the  exemplary  patience  with  which 
he  supported  troubles  and  endured  sufferings,  especially  tho 
pains  of  his  last  malady.     The  illness  that  snatched'  him 
away  (the  lock-jaw)  is  extremely  painful.    Tho  sufferinga 
that  it  ordinarily  causes,  were  augmented  by  tho  irritability 
of  tho  nervous  constitution  of  the  patient ;  nevertheless  the 
Father  endured  the  whole  courageously,  and  with  an  en- 
tire  resignation    to   the    divine   will.     He    requested    the 
prayerful  assistance  of  others,  so  that  he  might  be  favored 
with  the  grace  of  perfect   resignation.     In   his  last  hour, 
during  tho  moments  that  preceded  his  departure,  when  his 
eyes  wandered  from   object  to  object   as  if  to   seek  some 
aid,  every  time  that  they  fell  upon  the  crucifix  they  rested 
there,  relieved  and  comforted  by  that  image  of  the  divine 
Redeemer,  and  by  the  recollection  of  the  passion  of  Jesus. 
It  was  in   the    act   of  kissing   this  sacred   emblem,   that 
Father  Nobili   closed  his  eyes,  and   his  spirit  returned  to 
its  Creator. 

After  the  death  of  this  lamented  Father,  nothing  was 
omitted  that  the  Catholic  worship  prescribes,  or  that  tho 
respect  and  affection  of  his  religious  compan'ons  could  sug- 
gest,  to  honor  his  mortal  remains.  His  body  was  directly 
carried  to  the  church  of  the  mission,  and  placed  upon  a 


AND   MI68IONAUIE8. 


519 


I  other  count- 
gilt  boforo  hit 

3r»  not  K*B»  re- 
of  t'dificfition 
deceftscd.     It 
pon  them,  or 
vliich  ulroady 
h  no  words  of 
n  relating  ono 
cc  with  wliich 
especially  tho 
snatched  liirn 
ho  HiifforingB 
he  irritability 
yerthcless  tho 
with  an  en- 
jquested    the 
it  be  favored 
lis  last  hour, 
ire,  when  his 
0   seek  some 
X  they  rested 
)f  the  divine 
lion  of  Jesus, 
mblem,    that 
returned  to 


catafuhjue  buforo  tho  grand  altar.  His  Crace  ArohbiHliop 
Alcniany  celebrated  tli««  HoKinn  maH«  of  re<|iii('in,  jiHsistrd 
by  tho  Uev.  Failu'r  Ll.bnrra,  virar-geiural,  lU'V.  Mr.  (Jul- 
laglier,  pastor  of  St.  Mary's  catliodral,  San  Francisco,  and 
fionii)  othor  J.fsuit  Fathers.  The  Uev.  Mr.  (iallagher  pro- 
nounced the  funeral  oration,  an<l  gave  nn  ehxjuent  and 
touching  abridgment  of  the  ndigious  and  estimable  career 
of  Father  Nobili.  It  is  to  him  that  wo  aro  particularly 
indebted  for  tho  more  important  facts  that  we  have  pre- 
sented in  this  imperfect  notice  of  this  illustrious  apostle  of 
California,  who  devoted  himself  without  reserve  to  religion, 
and  to  the  education  of  youth. 


Accept,  Rev.  and  dear  Father,  with  this  biographical 
notice  of  ono  of  my  Oregon  companions,  the  assurance  of 
my  affectionato  respect. 

P.  J.  Db  Smet,  S.  J. 


nothinfj  was 
or  that  the 
is  could  sug- 
was  directly 
iced  upon  a 


520 


WKSTKUN    MISalONS 


^ 


Lollcr  XLV. 

To  THB  Editok  or  THE  Viiki'i^  lliHnmuivRH,  IIiu'sskl*. 

AiUhoiuj  Kyarogda. 

UwtvEiiMTY  or  St.  Lorw,  July  ifl,  1857. 
Rev.  and  leau  FATtrKR : 

I  Imvc  few  ck'tailH  aM  to  (Iio  life  nnci  death  of  Father 
Eysvogols,  yet  I  Bond  what  I  find. 

^  Anthony  KyMc^.-Ls  wus  l.urn  in  the  littio  villa-o  of  0«8, 
Bituated  in  Nurtli   IJnibant,   ll..ll,,,.d,  Jan.  1.-],  laoo.     After 
finishing  his  divinity  cour«o  in  |,is  nativ.,  lan.l,  ho  came  to 
America  and  began  his  n..vitiate  in  Missouri,  Doc.  31    1635 
On  the  l8t  of  May,  1838,  Father  Eysvogois  8et  out  with* 
Fatliers  Verhaegen  and  Claessens  for  the  Kickapoo  missic.n. 
Ihenco,  his  superiors  sent  him  to  Washington,  Mo.,  and  from 
this  phice  to  Westphalia  in  the  Osage  district.     Tliere  a  holy 
death  closed  an  exemplary  life.     The  good  Father,  resigning 
himseh'  entirely  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord,  prepared  fur  his 
great  passage  by  prayer  and  the  reception  of  the  last  sacra- 
ments, which  but  little  preceded  his  death.     His  illness  was 
brought  on  by  the  care  lavished  by  the  holy  religious  on  a 
patient  suffering  with  small-pox,  which  disease  he  himself  took. 
Father  Eysvogels  was  only  forty-eight  und  a  half  years  old* 
The  interment  was  made  with  solemnity  by  Father  Ferdinand 
Ilelijis,  and  his  parishioners  raised  a  subscription  to  erect  a 
monument  to  the  zealous  director  of  their  souls. 

Accept,  Rev.  Father,  the  assurance  of  my  regard  and  esteem, 

r.  J.  De  smkt  s  j 


AHU  UUMIONAKIfOS. 


6S1 


nitl'fiHRI,8, 


I7  irt,  I8r.7. 

!i  of  Father 

lairo  of  Oss, 
H)0.     After 
lie  o.'uno  to 
\  31,  18.35.  ' 
L't  out  with 
00  miss  ion. 
>.,  and  from 
licre  a  holy 
',  resigning 
red  for  his 
last  sacra- 
illness  wns 
•ions  on  a 
mselftook. 
years  old. 
Ferdinand 
to  erect  a 

nd  esteem. 

r    fi    T 

-J  ~-  T. 


iHler  XLVL 

To  Tax  EuiTou  OF  TiiK  I'afccis  IlmoKiML'ES,  Drussim. 

John  B.  Duerincl;  Mlmonary  q/'  the  PoUtwatomiet,  America, 

Univkkiity  or  St.  Loum,  Doo.  23,  18«T. 
IIkvekkno  ^'atiieii: 

A  fatul  and  most  dopioraMe  accident  has  just  deprived 
US  of  one  of  onr  most  /calous  and  indefati^^ablo  missionaries. 
Father  John  D.  Duorinck,  superior  of  the  mission  of  St. 
Mary's,  among  the  Potawatoinics,  in  the  Territory  of  Kiinsas, 
perished  on  the  9th  of  this  month,  while  descondin-  tho 
Missouri  rivor  in  a  small  boat.  This  is  an  irreparable  loss  to 
this  fine  mission. 

I  cannot  describe  to  you  how  deep  is  tho  afflicfiori  which 
this  mournful  news  has  caused  us.  The  first  report  reached 
us  on  Sunday,  tho  18th  instant.  We  were  expecting  bin.  at 
St.  Loins,  whither  he  had  b.;cn  summoned  by  his  superiors, 
in  order  to  prepare  himself  for  his  last  vows  in  tiie  society. 
A  letter  dated  November  24th,  in  which  lie  announced  his 
departure  from  tho  mission,  had  arrived  some  days  before. 
The  following  is  an  extract: 

"I  intend  to  repair  to  the  town  of  Leavenworth  and 
tliencG  to  St.  Louis,  in  the  course  of  this  week.  The  chiefs 
of  tho  tribe,  tho  warriors,  s/igcs,  seniors,  and  young  men, 
have  nil  decreed  to  send  a  deputation  to  Washington,  or 
rather  two,  one  composed  of  Indians  of  the  prairie,  Fota- 

440 


622 


■WE8TEKN  MISSIONS 


watom.os  not  converted,  and  the  other  of  Indians  of  the  mi,- 
sion.  I'hese  latter  have  put  me  on  their  list,  in  order  that  I 
may  accompany  them  to  Washington  to  advance  the  inter- 
ests of  the  mission,  and  aid  them  in  attaining  with  more 
certainty  the  object  of  their  proceedings  with  the  gov- 
ernment  It  will  belong  to  the  snperior  to  decide  on 
what  I  shall  do.  Whatsoever  be  Lis  decision,  I  shall  be 
content." 

The  earliest  news  of  the  death  of  the  zealous  missionary, 
although  stdl  not  very  precise,  was  accompanied  by  circum- 
stances which  hardly  left  any  doubt  concerning  his  fate.    Two 
or  three  days  after,  we  learned  certain  details  of  his  loss 
He  went  from  the  mission  of  St.  Mary's  to  Leavenworth,  on 
horseback,  a  distance  of  about  eighty  miles.    Thence  he 
went,  ni  a  stage-coach,  fifty  miles  further,  to  the  town  of 
Kansas      He  afterwards  set  out  from  Kansas,  in  a  boat,  with 
four  other  travellers,  intending  to  descend  the  Missouri  river 
as  far  as  a  place  where  steamboats  would  be  met,  which,  on 
account  of  the  lowness  of  the  waters  in  this  season  of  the 
year,  cannot  go  up  the  river  as  high  as  Fort  Leavenworth. 
Descendmg  the  river  is  a  very  perilous  enterprise,  considering 
the  rapidity  of  the  current,  and  the  numerous  forest-trees" 
detached  from  the  shores  and  buried  in  the  bed  of  the  river 
To  strike  against  one  of  these  "sawyers"  is  enough  to  cap- 
size the  boat,  and  every  year  a  number  of  boats  are  lost  in  " 
t^ns  manner.     The   danger  was  certainly  not  unknown  to 
Father  Duerinck:  but,  a  son  of  obedience,  and  a  man  of 
zeal,  he  thought,  without  doubt,  that  he  ought  not  to  recoil 
before  a  danger  wlm-h  so  many  travellers  encounter  every 
day.     This  devotodness  cost  him  his  life.     Twentv-five  miles 
below  Kansas  city,  the  point  of  their  departure,  lief.veen  the 
towns  of  Wayne  and  Liberty,  the  boat,  striking  against  a 
snag,  capsized.     AH  the  pas.cngcr.  were  thruw^i   iuto  the 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


528 


8  of  tlie  mis- 
order  that  I 
!e  the  inter- 
?  with  more 
ii  the  gov- 
)  decide  on 
,  I  sbull  be 

missionary, 

by  circum- 
s  fate.  Two 
of  his  loss, 
mworth,  on 

Thence  he 
he  town  of 
I  boat,  with 
issouii  river 
,  which,  on 
ason  of  the 
avenworth. 
3onsidering 
forest-trees, 
f  the  river, 
igh  to  cap- 
are  lost  in 
iknown  to 

a  man  of 
t  to  recoil 
nter  every 
-five  miles 
it'.veen  the 

Jigainst  a 
i  iuto  the 


water,  except  two,  who  managed  to  cling  to  the  sides  of  the 
boat,  and  holding  on  to  it  until  the  current  brought  them  to 
a  sand-bank.  The  three  others,  among  whom  was  Father 
Duerinck,  perished. 

Such  a  death  has,  without  doubt,  its  melancholy  side ;  but 
it  appears  glorious  when  we  reflect  on  the  cause  which  oc- 
casioned it,  and  on  the  example  of  so  many  holy  mission- 
aries and  illustrious  apostles  who,  adventuring  with  courage 
into  dangers,  in  the  keeping  of  God  alone,  have  perished,  far 
from  all  human  aid,  but  so  much  the  more  protected  in  their 
last  moments  by  him  for  whose  honor  they  had  exposed 
their  lives. 

John  Baptist  Duerinck  was  born  at  St.  Gilles,  near  Ter- 
monde,  on  the  8th  of  May,  1809.  Formed  to  piety  from  hia 
infancy,  by  the  lessons  and  examples  of  his  pious  parents,  he 
cast,  from  that  time,  the  foundation  of  those  Christian  and 
religious  virtues,  of  which  he  offered,  in  after  years,  so  beau- 
tiful an  example.  When  a  college  student,  his  excellent 
conduct,  and  his  success,  attracted  to  him  the  esteem  and  af- 
fection of  his  professors  and  class-mates  ;  and  the  president 
of  the  episcopal  seminary  of  Ghent  remembers  him  still  as 
one  of  those  who  had  afforded  him  most  pleasure  during 
their  studies  in  philosophy. 

He  had  long  experienced  a  desire  to  devote  himself  to  the 
conversion  of  the  savages  of  North  America.  After  obtain- 
ing the  consent  of  his  worthy  parents,  he  embarked  at  Ant- 
werp, on  the  27th  of  October,  1833,  and  entered  the  Society 
of  Jesus,  in  Missouri,  in  which  he  commenced  his  novitiate 
at  St.  Stanislaus,  near  the  village  of  Florissant,  in  the  open- 
ing of  the  year  following,  the  16th  of  January,  1834. 
Having  finished  his  nov'tiate,  he  passed  several  years  in 
different  colleges.  His  talents  for  financial  affairs  caused 
him    to    be    intrusted    successivelv    with    the    chame    nf 


524 


WESTERN  MISSIONS 


'iiicinnjiti,   St.   Luuis,   and 


treasurer  In    our    colleges  at  C 
Burdstown. 

Evory  „her.,  ll,o  Futl.or  I),„.,inck  .l,„wo,l  „„  ,.„,„,,|„„ 

g«m«l  l,„n  f,„.,ul,,  not  ouly  umoug  cu.clv,.,,  b„t  „l,o  „itl 
Btraiigcrs  mi,l  I'lotosfmls.  '  »m  «m, 

A  g,-eat  mlumc-  of  „at„r.,  l,o  conso,T„tc,l  l,is  Icrs  of 
Icsum  to  tl,o  »l„.ly  of  it,  „„,„,„,,  ,„,,  J; 

conte,,,,  „t,o„  ,„  „.„„>  of  tl,„  ,,™„ty  „,.,  o,„;,i„„t,..,eo  of 
Go  I.     IIo  was  altacLo,!   c..,,oci,.lly  to  tl.c  «t„.ly  of  iKHanv 
and   ha  acaunci  a  v.st  a,„l  th„ro„gh  k„owle,I.„  „f  t  ,U 

Olno  a,K  III,„„,,,  ,„  ,,,„„,,  „,.  ^,„.,„^  ,,^^^^,^»  1  ^  o' 
o  are  plants  aud  ,„ado  a  bcntif,,,  a,„l  .xquisito  coll  ct  „ 
cf  then,    ,W„ch  ,s  p,,.Borvcd  i„  ,l,o  colleg    of  St.  Francis 

elected  Father  IJnennck  a  perpctaal  n.en.ber,  and  offered 
"m  the  Chan-  of  professor  of  botany  ;  but  his  nod  sty  1 

1-  mnnerons  duties  wonid  „„t  suffer  hina   to   a  cent  t  ! 

charge    A  new  plant  that  he  discovered,  and  whic  lo  'iv 
n  Ins  honor  the  nan.e  Pru„us  I>neriuckia„a,  showsTw 

they  esteemed  his  researches  in  the  science 

""O.gj.joncd  to  an  ardent  zeal  for  the  glory  of  God  and 
to  salva  ,on  of  sonls.     When  there  was  qnestiin  of  g   „L 

hi  n     t   '■   ,  V'  "?  °'-'""'°  "'"'«'  '"  •'«  "W<^  to'  ar«; 
ot   bt.  Taul,  in  order  to  win  them  to  Jesus  rioi«t      tt 

^1'"^  r'n' "'  ■"-"-  -  ^"  ~  a 

Kitas  ot  that  section  of  countiv  .n>,i  ,t  i,^        1 1      , 

♦1,,  -r.  Luuuiij,  and  It  he  conli   not  convert 

t'.e  nun^orons  Protestants  with  whom  ho  was  in  rolation^  he 


AND  MI88IONABIE8. 


LuuIb,   aiul 

■n  ('X('ii)|>hiry 
'  gave  protjfa 
i;L;iouH.  J I  is 
liis  fenip(;r, 
uL  also  with 

iis  lioiirs  of 
,  an<I  to  the 
liputmico  of 
■  of  botany, 
^^go   of  this 
''  portion  of 
»<J  all  kinds 
0  coltectioa 
St.  Francis 
f  iLat  city 
md  offered 
3desty  an(f 
accept  tha 
ill  received, 
iliows  how 

at  natural 
'  God  and 
jf  ffaininir 
3  to  arrest 
e  exainj)le 
ii'ist.  He 
toms  and 
)t  convert 
lation,  he 


525 


rarely  failed  gaining  their  good  will-  nnd  Jf 

towards  their   conversion    f      i    i  .      >*  is  a  great  step 

n,.fi,...- '   '^"'^'«'«'''  to   induce    them   to  cstee.n  t.l.; 


Catholic  priest 
III  1840,  Father  Duer 


esteem  the 


■inck  was  sent  among  the  Indi 


>;.•...  in  great    :    tt,^  ^'tv     7"'''' .""™  '» 

of  labor,  tLe  motives  of  rolWon  w J^  1  T  "''^^"-"•°» 
i-l  any  empire  over  th  Cs  of  thrT"','''  """Z""'' 
Bucoecded  in  indacing  them  ,o  w„rk  i„  !  ^"'^T%""^  ""'^ 
Profiting  by  tbis  stron^g  and  In  fit  ?'"'  "T''"^- 
endeavored  to  P»^lt„  .i       .      ^     "'•  ^^^^^^  Duer  ncfc 

foigyonttto' ::■„:• '"rt.  ^"-  '"^  p^-t-  °f 

trades  !a^  btl:  ,i  laTt .  tlbljt  f^r"  '"■•' 

ri%rt,iT:ra:,ri:^'--^^ 
-»oubaveo:::xrnre::r  '■  "•  ^■''- 

^  °  ^'^^*  ^^"g«'  o^  demoralization ;  first, 


m 


f !'...» 


626 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


m 


conscquonca  of  tlio  great  number  of  caravans  which  have 
passed  by  the  mission  since  the  discovery  of  the  gold  mines 
of  California,  and,  secondly,  on  account  of  the  immense  tide 
of  emigration  which  has  taken  phice  since  Kansas  became  a 
Territory.  Amid  these  dangers,  the  neophytes,  thanks  to 
the  care  of  the  missionaries,  have  preserved  their  ancient 
regularity  and  their  early  fervor. 

At  the  sound  of  the  bell,  the  savages  assemble,  with  the 
same  piety  as  formerly,  either  in  the  church  or  in  their 
dwellings.  The  confessions  and  communions  are  not  less 
numerous.  All,  not  excepting  the  Protestants,  admire  their 
zeal  and  their  piety. 

So  far,  the  neophytes  have  maintained  peace  with  the 
whites.  Rare  occurrence ;  for  ordinarily  ilie  approach  of 
the  whites  is  the  signal  of  a  war  of  extermination,  if  they 
cannot  force  the  savages  to  quit  their  cabins  and  emigrate 
into  new  and  more  remote  deserts.  However,  the  danger  of 
their  present  situation  cannot  be  dissembled.  They  are 
already  surrounded  by  whites,  eager  to  take  possession  o\ 
19,200  acres  of  land,  that  the  government  has  solemnly 
granted  them  by  treaty.  It  is  especially  in  such  a  situation 
that  the  death  of  Father  Duerinck,  their  father  and  bene- 
factor, who  was  tenderly  devoted  to  them,  and  whom  they 
consulted  in  all  their  important  enterprises  and  in  all  their 
difficulties,  will  be  keenly  felt.  It  is  undeniably  a  real 
calamity  for  the  whole  tribe. 

Father  Duerinck  was  superintendent  of  the  Catholic 
schools  among  the  Potawatomies.  Several  of  his  letters 
have  been  published  in  the  annual  documents  which  accom- 
pany the  message  of  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
They  are  found  in  the  report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior, 
vol.  i.,  and  all  bear  the  date  of  "St.  Mary's  Potawatomie 
Mission,  Kansas  Territory."    They  are  as  follows:  1852, 


AND  MISSIONARIES. 


62T 


which  have 
!  gold  mines 
mnense  tide 
us  became  a 
8,  thanks  to 
leir  ancient 

)le,  with  the 

or  in  their 

are  not  less 

idmire  their 

36  with  the 
ipproach  of 
tion,  if  they 
id  emigrate 
le  danger  of 
They  are 
ossession  oi 
as  solemnly 
I  a  situation 
'  and  bene- 
whom  they 
in  all  their 
ibly  a  real 

a  Catholic 
his  letters 
lich  accom- 
ited  States. 
he  Intei'iop, 
otawatomie 
3ws:  1852, 


September  24,  pp.  379-381  ;  1853,  August  31,  pp.  325-327 
1854,  September  25,  pp.  317-319;  1855,   October  1 


421 


pp. 


5,  October  20,  pp.  060-669  ;  1857,  October  .  . . 
The  last  one  (the  6th  September,  1857,)  was  published  on 
the  17th  of  last  October,  in  ti>e  Boston  Pilot,  and  will  ap- 
pear,  like  the  others,  iu  the  next  report  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior. 

The  officers  or  agents  of  the  government  of  the  United 
States  have  always  rendered  the  most  honorable  testimony 
to  the  zeal  and  success  of  Father  Duerinck.    In  1855,  Major 
G.  W.  Clarke,  agent  of  government  for  the  Potawatomies, 
speaking,  in  his  annual  report  to  the  commissary  of  Indian 
affairs,  concerning  the  two  schools  established  in  the  mission, 
one  under  the  direction  of  the  Fathers,  the  other  under  the 
direction  of  the  Ladies  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  thus 
expressed  himself:  "  I  cannot  speak  in  terms  too  favorable 
of  the  condition  of  these  two  establishments.     Besides  the 
ordinary   course  of  literary  education  for  girls,  they  learn 
sewing,  knitting,  embroidery,  and  all  the  other  labors  of  a 
well-understood  domestic  training.     An  industrial  school  is 
attached  to  this  institution.     In  it  the  youth  are  taught  use- 
ful and  practical  arts,  such  as  agriculture,  horticulture,  etc. 
Father  Duerinck  is  a  man  endowed  with  great  energy,  and 
understands  business  well.    He  is  entirely  devoted  to  the 
welfere  of  the  Potawatomies,  of  whom  he  has  shown  him- 
self the  friend  and  father,  and  who,  on  their  side,  entertain 
the  highest  esteem  for  him.    I  have  no  hesitation  in  express- 
ing my  conviction  of  the  utility  of  this  establishment.     Its 
effects  are  visible  in  the  neatly-kept  houses,  and  the  little 
well-cultivated  fields  of  the  Indians  of  the  mission,  and  in 
the  spirit  of  order  which  reigns  in  the  environs." 

In  his  report  of  1856,  Major  Clarke  renews  these  approving 
expressions.     «  Since  last  year,"  says  he,  "  the  Indians  of  this 


m  n 


528 


WESTERN   MISSIONS 


ftgcncy  have  mado  rapid  progress.  They  liave  cultivated 
moro  cxtensivo  fiekls,  and  manifested,  in  difFercnt  ways,  their 
dcsiro  to  conform  to  tiic  customs  of  civilized  life.  The  hcIk.oI 
of  St.  Mary's  mission  occupies  the  Hrst  rank  among  tho 
schools  of  tho  missions,  and  merits  my  most  sincere  pmises. 
The  labors  of  Father  Ducrinck,  and  of  tho  'Religious  of 
tho  Sacred  Heart,'  serve  not  only  to  ameliorate  the  rising 
generation,  and  form  it  to  tho  customs  of  civilized  life,  but 
their  good  examples,  and  their  counsels,  evidently  have  a 
great  influence  on  the  well-being  of  tho  adult  population." 

The  numerous  emigrants  who  are  settled  in  tho  neighbor- 
hood of  tho  mission,  have  ever  displayed  the  highest  esteem 
for  Father  Duerinck. 

The  public  journals  have  announced  his  death  as  a  calam- 
ity, which  not  only  will  leave  a  great  void  in  the  Indian 
mission,  but  will  excite  lively  regret  among  his  numerous 
friends  in  the  difTerent  States,  and,  above  all,  in  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  new  territory  who  have  had  the  happiness  of 
knowing  him.     He  enjoyed  universal  esteem. 

The  following  is  the  homage  paid  to  the  memory  of  Father 
Duerinck,  by  all  his  religious  brethren  in  the  Potawatomie 
°  mission : 

"Rev.  Father  Duerinck,  whom  we  all  regret  with  tears, 
arrived  at  the  mission  of  St.  Mary's  in  the  beginning  of 
November,  1849,  in  circumstances  the  most  critical  and  "em- 
barrassing, in  the  judgment  of  all  persons  versed  in  business 
matters.  The  mission  had  just  accepted  a  school  of  boys, 
and  one  of  girls,  on  conditions  so  onerous  that  good  sense 
pronounced  them  intolerable.  Thoy  were  obliged  to  nothing 
less  than  to  support  annually  about  one  hundred  and  twenty 
children,  as  boarders,  for  the  small  sum  of  fifty  dollars  each  : 
that  is  to  say,  for  fourteen  cents  a  day,  lodging,  food,  clothing, 
books,  paper,  etc.,  must  be  furnished  to  each  chi[d ;  while  no 


AND  MI88IONAKIES. 


529 


Q  cultivfttcd 
L  ways,  their 
Tlui  Bch(»ol 
anioiii>:  tlio 
:ero  praisc.s. 
Utiligious  of 
J  tlio  lisiiiff 
;ed  life,  but 
itly  have  a 
;)uhition." 
10  neiglibor- 
;he8t  esteem 

as  a  calam- 
thc  Indian 
3  numerous 
the  inhabi- 
appiuess  of 

y  of  Father 
atawatomie 

with  tears, 
igiuning  of 
:al  and  em- 
in  business 
ol  of  boys, 
good  sense 
to  notliing 
md  twenty 
IJars  each : 
1,  clothing, 
;  while  no 


hotel-kocper  in  the  place  would  have  consented  to  board  and 
lodge  any  person  for  less  than  live  dollars  per  week.     Fur- 
ther:  the  United  States  Coven)ment  had  allowed  a  certain 
sum  for  the  furnishing  or  the  construction  of  edifices,  and, 
by  an  addition  of  unlortunato  circumstances,  the  task  had 
seareely  been  begun,  when  the  money  was  already  expended. 
AVell,    thanks   to   the   intelligence   and   activity  of  Father 
Duennck,  the  mission  met  all  these  expenses,  and  triumphed 
over  all  the  obstacles.     ]3ut  how  many  trials  and  fatigues 
were  necessary  to  shelter  his  dear  Indian  family  from  indi- 
gence !     Crossing  immense  deserts,  to  buy  animals  at  a  low 
price,  and  conduct  them   to  St.  Mary's  ;  descending  and 
ascendmg  the  Missouri,  a  distance  of  several  hundreds  of 
miles;  continually  on  the  watch,  in  order  to  discover  an  op- 
portunity favorable  for  the  arrangement  and  disposition  of 
the  products  of  the  farm ;  exerting  himself  in  every  way  to  ' 
find  means  of  subsistence  ;  ever  imagining  now  resources, 
forming  new  plans,  and  executing  new  projects,  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  great  family  which  had  been  intrusted  to  him, 
IS  what  Father  Dueriuck  nobly  undertook  for  the  good  of 
the  mission,  and  in  which  he  succeeded  perfectly. 

"  The  Father  had  a  strongly-marked  character,  or  rather 
a  soul  virtuously  courageous.     The  infirmities  to  which  he 
.  was  subject,  never  drew  from  him  a  plaint,  nor  produced  the 
least  alteration  in  his  manners.    For  him,  winter  seemed  to 
have  lost  its  frosty  rigors,  and  summer  its  stifling  heats.    He 
continually  braved  the  inclemency  of  the  seasons.     We  have 
seen  him  undertake  a  long  journey  in  the  extreme  cold,  and 
continue  it  in  defiance  of  the  icy  breath  of  the  north  wind, 
and  on  arriving  at  the  house  where  he  proposed  to  lodge* 
perceive  that  some  of  his  limbs  had  become  as  hard  as  stone 
•by  the  cold  which  had  stifi-ened  them;  so  that,  in  order  not 
to  lose  the  use  of  them,  it  became  necessary  to  bathe  them 
tak  45 


530 


WESTEBN   MISSIONS 


in  ico  water.    He  neglected  his  sleep,  ho  forgot  his  meals; 
ho  was  ready  for  every  sacrilice  in  the  interest  of  his  beloved 
Indians.     Amid  all  these  many  labors  and  hardhhips,  his 
humor  was  always  equable,  his  brow  serene,  his  temper 
patient,  his  manner  aftable.     Neither  the  pecuniary  difficul- 
ties,  nor  the  embarrassments  of  every  kind  which  sprung  up 
at  every  instant,  could  trouble  the  peace  of  his  soul.     Tho 
practice  of  humility  was,  so  to  speak,  natural.     Never  any 
thuig  savoring  of  pretension;  nothing  affected  was  over  re- 
marked in  his  air ;  never  a  word,  which,  even  remotely, 
breathed  vanity.     Ho  was  completely  ignorant  of  those  re- 
fined allusions  by  which  self-love  seeks  sometimes  to  givo 
'.mportance  to  personality.     Although  superior,  and  highly 
esteemed  by  all  those  who  know  how  to  appreciate  good 
manners,  his  great  delight  was  to  apply,  like  the  last  of  tho 
domestics,  to  the  most  menial  works.     He  was  so  dead  to  all 
that  is  called  '  pride  of  life,'  that  he  never  opposed  but  an  im- 
perturbable  brow  to  the  bitter  reproaches,  to  the  outrages 
which  he  sometimes  received  from  people  of  little  education. 
Very  often,  on  the  earliest  occasion,  he  would  avenge  him- 
self for  these  insults  by  rendering  some  striking  service  to 
the  person  who  had  insulted  him.     When  he  was  reproached 
with  being  too  kind  in  regard  to  certain  people  who  were 
known  to  be  enemies  to  the  Catholics,  'Well,'  replied  he, 
^  we  will  force  them  to  like  us.'     Father  Duerinck  was  char- 
itable, but  his  charity  was  prudent  and  enlightened.     In 
short,  no  one  ever  did  more  good  among  the  Indians  of  these 
sections.     Ho  assisted  the  poor  and  infirm  liberally.     He 
comprehended  better  than  any  one,  by  what  way  to  procure 
the  savages  the  benefit  of  civilization.     He  aided  them  in 
every  way,  exciting  them  to  labor,  and  recompensing  their 
industry.     This,  in  his  case,  succeeded  so  well  that  the  Pot- 
awatomiesof  St.  Mary's  excel  greatly  those  of  the  other  vU- 


AND   MISSIONARIES. 


531 


his  meals; 
lis  bt'lovcd 
iships,  his 
lis  toniper 
?y  diflicul- 
sprung  up 
oul.     Tho 
Never  any 
s  over  ro- 
romotely, 
those  ro- 
8  to  give 
id  highly 
iute  good 
list  of  tho 
cad  to  all 
>ut  an  im- 
outrages 
iducation. 
nge  him- 
lervice  to 
proached 
(vho  were 
splied  he, 
ivas  char- 
med.    In 
J  of  these 
.lly.    He 
)  procure 
them  in 
ing  their 
the  Pot- 
>ther  vil  • 


lages,  in  those  qualities  which  constitute  good  citizens. 
Those  who  have  luid  the  most  intimate  relations  with  tho 
Father,  know  how  far  his  liberalities  extended,  and  their 
pniyors,  inspired  by  the  most  sincere  gratitude,  will  never  bo 
wanting  to  caU  down  upon  our  good  Totf  .vatomies  the  ben- 
edictions of  tho  God  of  mercy. 

"The  death  of  good  Father  Ducrinck  is  an  incomparable 
loss.  In  him,  St.  Mary's  has  lost  him  who  was  its  soul  and 
life;  tho  Indians,  a  signal  benefactor;  the  widows  and  or- 
phans, an  experienced  counsellor ;  tho  mission,  an  excellent 
superior;  and  wo,  the  best  of  Fathers.  This  blow  (as  fatal 
as  unexpected)  has  thrown  every  one  into  mourning— bitter 
mourning.  Nothing  could  console  us  for  so  sudden  a  loss,, 
did  wo  not  know  that  nine  years  of  trials  and  abnegation,  of 
•continual  combats  against  his  own  inclinations,  undertaken 
and  sustained  for  the  greater  glory  of  God,  are  the  best 
preparations  for  a  holy  death." 

To  this  fraternal  token  of  respectful  aflfection  I  will  add, 
Rev.  Father,  tho  homage  which  the  agent  of  government 
(Colonel  Murphy)  paid  Father  Duorinck.  When  he  was 
apprised  of  his  death,  he  wrote  in  these  terms  to  Major 
Haverty,  superintendent  of  Indian  affairs  at  St.  Louis : 

"  The  model  school  of  the  mission  of  St.  Mary's  continues 
■without  intermission,  under  its  ancient  preceptors,  its  salu- 
tary operations,  with  its  habitual  and  regular  system.  At 
this  moment  (December  2d),  the  mission  and  the  whole 
vicinity  are  plunged  in  profound  grief,  caused  by  the  death, 
sudden  and  unexpected,  of  its  superior,  tho  Father  Duerinck. 
I  consider  this  loss  us  one  of  the  greatest  calamities  which 
could  happen  to  the  Potawatomies,  of  whom  he  was  the 
devoted  friend  and  tho  Father.  It  is  one  of  those  decrees  of 
Providence,  infinitely  wise,  to  which  we  must  submit  in  all 
humility.    Happily  for  the  mission  school  at  St.  Mary's,  tho 


533 


WESTERN  MISSIONS  AND   MiaSIONAKIJifl. 


vacancy  oft  by  Father  DMcrinck  can  bo  flllod.  Tho  chil- 
Urea  >v.Il  cuntinuo  to  receivo  the  «an.o  kirulncns  and  tho 
8a.no  .nstrucfon.  It  is  especially  ,ho  parents  and  youn. 
n  en  who  lo«e  the  mo»t  iu  being  deprived  of  his  good  advice 
and  Ills  example. 

This  letter  Ih,  no  doubt,  very  consoling,  Rov.  Father,  for 
tho  nmsionaries,  and  very  encouraging  to  those  whon.  God 
call,  to  becon.0  bo.  May  gonerouH  Uolgium  send  us  other 
zealous  muss-onaries,  as  well  to  respond  to  our  over-increaa- 
ing  wants,  as  to  replace  those  whom  death,  alas  I  too  rapidly 
mows  down.  "I'luiy 

I  cotmnend  to  your  holy  sacrifices,  and  to  your  prayers, 
and  to   ho  pious  souvenirs  of  all  our  dear  brethren  in  Bel- 
gium,  the  soul  of  tho  Kev.  Father  Dueriuck. 
I  have  the  lionor  to  be, 

Bev.  and  dear  Father, 

Rovae  Vce  in  Cto, 

P.  J.  D&  Smet,  S.  J, 


THE  END. 


The  chil- 
is und  tho 
uid  yoiuitf 
ood  advice 

Futlior,  for 
dioni  God 
I  us  otiior 
jr-incroas- 
00  rapidly 

r  prayers, 
Q  iu  I3el- 


,  S.  J. 


COPY    or    A    L£TT£B, 


^(wmpnsiug  a  (Bm  IcDal  sent  bn  l^c  Jolij  latjer, 
TO  EDWAIID  DUNIGAN  &  BllOTUEIl 


Most  worthij  and  respected  Gentlemen : 

Some  books,  which,  as  it  appeared  by  your  most 
courteous  letter,  you  ivishcd  to  offer  to  our  most  holy  Lord 
Pope  Pius  IX.,  have  been  lately  handed  to  him.  This  act 
on  your  part  could  not  but  please  his  Holiness,  awl  the  zeal 
you  constantly  show  by  the  publication  of  works  in  defence 
and  protection  of  the  cause  of  the  Catholic  lieligion,  gives 
him  great  Joy. 

The  Sovereign  Pontiff,  therefore,  with  great  pleasure  en- 
courages you  in  your  cmirse  by  this  letter,  and  returns  you 
his  thanks  for  the  gift  which  you  offer. 

lam,  moreover,  order" I  to  transmit  a  gold  medal,  which 
iuH  same  benign  Pontiff  sends,  impressed  with  his  august 
effigy,  and  with  it,  as  a  pledge  of  his  j>atcrnal  and  especial 
affection  towards  you,  his  Apostolic  blessing,  which,  as  an 
auspice  of  all  heavenly  good,  lie  lovingly  grants  you  with  the 
most  sincere  affection  of  his  heart. 

I  have  only  to  profess  my  respects  to  you,  Gentlemen,  on 
whom  I  earnestly  implore  all  that  is  saving  and  propitious 
from  our  Lord. 

Gentlemen, 
Your  most  humble  a?id  obedient  ServaiU, 


Rome,  July  bth,  1863. 


DOMINIC  FIORAMONTI, 

Latin  Secretary  to  hit  Holinesi. 


To  S.  DUKIQAN  &  BROTHEh,  D^ew  York. 


DUNIOAK  &  DUOTUEll'S 

MtW,  CHKAP,  •DrtCIULY  ItLUrtHATIB,  AND  UNABIUUaitO  KOITIOK  Of 

a.vflock'i    Cntholic    Family  Bilile  and 
Comin<>iiiiiry. 


nciia    hm';"^  "!'■'''''' '''^^'^^  ""'^'^'  '"'^'""'"y  P'-'P'^'-'  for  tho 

1  cHoi  (i  eat  I Iritam  and  I.olari.l,  hIk.,.!.!  n„t  l.avo  boou  roprlntodou  tl.iH 

ull  1    r  f   "",    ■'  '"."  "'^'"  """'^^'y  "'•*  ""■>'  "f  t^«  Sacred  Volume 
llHclf,  hut  of  Its  Icani.d  and  pious  coiiunontat<.r 

This  .imUeruium  it  luw  beet,  tl.o  aim  of  tUo  puhilshors  to  flupply  au.l 
while  Issu.uK  tu,  w...k  in  KU.:b  stylo  as  to  .en.L-  it  c.,ual.  if  'nut''HU  «. 
S't.  i  Sti.^     ;*"  ;"  ""  '"r"""'  "^""'««  »-rotofor.publishod  in  the 

it  t  .  ^••"»"'"»  ty  <vt  such  price  and  ..p-n  auch  terms  an  to  pl,u..e 

t  wuh.n  tho  reach  o|  all.     To  this  cn.l.  tlu-y  have  Hparcd  neither   Imo 

labor,  nor  expense ;  a.ul  h<,w  far  they  have  succeeded,  U.o  ...',1^8 

iiSrl^VVf '*'''';  "'7"^"^' '" ''''  ^"""^'^'  -•'  -'-y  «f ""  - 

timony.     Iho  cordial  approval,  not  only  of  the  Catholic,  but  of  tho 

n.,w«,.uper  proH«  at  large,   without  distinction  of  denom inat  on    alio 

bears  witness  to  its  unrivalled  cxccllenc«.  tnominauon,  alHO 

The  Imperial  Quarto  ,,a-e  has  been  adopted  as  combining  at  onco  nn 

amp  0  and  convenient  size,  without  encountering  the  cumbrous^  of 

the  foho.  or  the  inelegance  of  tho  ordinary  quafto  ;  and    bd:^  at  the 

^ime  t ime  of  dnnensions  which  are  sulliciontly  capacious  to  adrnit  Leal 

egibdity,  and  of  such  pleasing  proportionB  oh  to  obviate  the  o    ccUon 

80  fre.iuontly  urged  against  the  folio  and  ordinary  quarto  J''''°"" 

h.s  edition  contains  the  n.ost  copious  notes  ever  appended  to  anv  vet 

pubhshed  .n  the  Englisli  language,  and  is  particularly  a.Iaped  as  wH 

for  the  hbrary  of  the  learned  a.  for  th.  fu.uily  circle'     E^ey  posJblo 

at  ent.on  has  been  paid  in  getting  it  out  to  render  it  supoH  fr  to  anv 

ed.t,on  of  the  Scriptures  published  in  the  United  Htates    '^r^i  the  rb- 

shers  trust  that  it  will  have  that  extensive  circulation  among  Cat  o- 

1.CS  of  all  chu^eas  that  alone  can  remunerate  them  for  their  outky     The 

paper  on  wluch  ,t .«  printed  is  of  the  very  best  and  finest  .iJ^i.^-'!^ 

xne  lype  iaige,  dear,  aad  beautiful,  and  cast  ezpressly  for  Vhe"work" 


XTION  OV 


ble  and 


of  tlio  Doufty 
paiod  for  tlio 
jy  tho  Cutho- 
ilntvd  ou  thiri 
icrcd  Volunio 

supply,  and, 
if  Hut  Hiipo- 
1[h1u>(1  in  tite 
present  It  to 
i  iiH  to  place 
neitiier  tirno, 
B  iiiianimoiiH 
of  the  most 
ir  ample  U-.a- 
,  but  of  tho 
ination,  nluo 

r  at  once  an 
broimneHH  of 
)elng  at  the 
admit  p;roat 
e  oltjoction« 

id  to  any  yet 
•tud  art  Willi 
ery  ponwiblo 
rior  to  any 
id  tho  pnb- 
ong  Catlio- 
iitlay.  Tho 
Jescrintinn. 
tho  worlc  ; 


PVBUMIO  IT  DCWIOAN  AMD  BROTnu. 


»n<l  thA  Roneral  rxr..|l,.nre  of  itn  nx^ctitlon  l«  Biich  IM  to  render  it  worthy 
of  the  iiiilverMil  eiifoudumH  with  which  lU  apiHtiiriince  hiw  iw-en  hulled. 
A  promhi.rit  and  bomUlfni  foutiir.)  In  tho  w.jrk  in  itn  maKnilkont 
■teel  IlitiHtiatloMH,  twtiity  live  In  luimhor,  nuixirbly  «,'fi«rav«d  from  paint- 
ingii  l»y  tijo  moMt  ctUhrated  maHtor«.    Tliey  iiro  ua  foilowg  :  — 


1. 

2. 
8. 

4. 

6. 

0. 

7. 

8. 

9, 
10. 
11. 
112. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
10. 
17. 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 


ILLU.STUATI0N8. 

Engraved  Frontinpicce,  I^etter  of  Approval  of 

MoHHrM.  K.  DunlKan  &  Uruthor. 
KtiKravcd  TitIopa«o,  Abrahani'*  Sttcrlflco, 
MoHCH  with  tho  Tablort  of  tho  li^w, 
A)(ar  and  iHhniael, 
'I'ho  Arrival  of  Iloboccft, 
Jacob  in  the  TIoiiro  of  [.jibnn, 
JoHoph  Hold  by  hlH  nruthrcn, 
Aaron,  tho  High  I'rlcht, 
Tho  I'lmt-frnits  of  Canaan, 
MoHOH  lUdxeM  tho  Ihazon  Serpent, 
David  and  Abisal  In  King  Saul's  Tent, 
Tho  Judgment  of  Solomon, 
Daniel  in  the  Lion'H  Don, 
JcHiis  ChrlHt,  tlio  Redeemer 
JoHUH  Carrying  his  Cross, 
The  Infant  Kt.  John, 
Mary  Magdalen, 
Christ  Blessing  Little  Childreo, 
Tlie  Three  Marys, 
Tho  Annunciation, 
Tiie  Crucifixion, 
Family  Record— Marriage 

"  Births. 

•'  Deaths. 


the  noly  Father,  to 


after 

Murillo. 

II 

Jiff/noldt, 

11 

Steinlt. 

M 

Sehi)jnn. 

II 

Steinlt. 

II 

Overberk, 

II 

Dei/er. 

II 

SteinU. 

«l 

Steinlt. 

II 

Jtufrni.^. 

II 

Rctffael. 

II 

JohantuA. 

II 

II 

Murillo. 

II 

II 

Overbeck. 

II 

II 

Johannnt. 

II 

Vandyke. 

Tlie  above  illustrations  have  been  executed  by  the  first  artists  in  the 
country  ;  and  for  beauty  of  linish,  elegance  of  style,  and  excellence  of 
execution  are  unequalled. 

The  publishers  respectfully  beg  leave  to  solicit  attention  to  the  fol- 
lowing nattering  approbations  from  the  illustrious  prelates  whoso  names 
are  afiixed. 


I     I 


PtTBUflnED    BY    DimiOAN    AND    BBOTHEB. 


.         ArchWhop  Bcdini,  Nnnclo  Apo.tolle. 

Edward  Dunioan,  Esq., 

\r^„    T-i  Publisher,  Now  York 

Most  Esteemed  Sir-  ^' 

Kratifled  I  l.avo  been  at  this  proc  oteift  an.l  )  ?V"  "''^''''  '°^ 
inyaelf  to  have  been  so  kindlv  vZ  \^  ',  .  ""^  '^'^""''*"  ^  ^^t^^^" 
tributiou  of  a  book  which  ^f/        ?!  T"^  ^^  ^""  '"  "'^  ^^"^''^'^^  ^i«- 

typographic  «r'r:b^  n  :t;  1^-^;:^;;,^  ^^^  ^-^--t  your 

tlio  admiration  of  all  lovers  of  tin  bnn  t  M  ..      ""''  '^^'''''  ^''  ^* 

Catholics  I     Having  had  tho  1      r  ^  '  ^""^  "^'  '""'•^'■''  ^^^^'^^^e  of 

America,  I  know  we  -  h  t  r;'  '  "  '"  ''^ ''"''''''' ''''  ^''^^"'^^'^^  ^^ 
how  proud  theJLT  .  oe  th-^l  "T""'''  ^'"''  "°^'«  ^'^^«^«'  ^^^ 
are  not  inferior  to  ttbet^^^^^^^^  ^^Z^""  TTr  f  "^'^  ^^""^^'  "^^ 
with  me,  I  hope  their  TrvlnT  nr  T'  r.-^""^  *°  "'''''  P"'^^  "'^^  J^'" 
may  reward  jour  a  [  iTh  '  '7'  ';  ^'^'"^  Providence,  that  He 
th/folly  of  tCw^o'L  r^^^  t^^^^^^^^^^^  ~T-to  confound 
would  fain  obscure  it  ^  Cathohcity  is  obscuring, 

not  to  your  laudable  and  nr^lT      ™'">''«")'  Md  the  Catholics:  faml 
i^g-  o/the  geod'wrever  tZ    70^.:,::^^  "'°' ""'  ^"^ 

tr;;u7r^.''^»-----"-" 

present,  you  have  recalled  mv  minrr.,     rr  '     ^^  ""^  ^^o^old 

thank  ;ou,  as  I  turn  1st  ^fliZ't  V  ^^^  ''f  ?'  ^  '^^  ^'"'^  ' 
frenzy  of  a  few  who  tried  To  H  S  Persuaded  that,  amid  the 

bounLsscourTery  of  iood  Low      ™^ '";^«^-'  ^  «««  always  see  the 

the  great  JZl'^HZ^Z  T^  7  '"."^l^'^  °^  ''-''  ^^ 
filled  my  heart     Ever  invfnl  I    .  ^'  ^'''''^  ^""^  '^oar  Catholics, 

ra.a jto  C^iSr^Cwrr  re  rs™!'  r:  ^"*''^ 

tion,  and  gratitude,  sentiments  of  esteem,  affec- 

Your  most  devoted,  obedient, 

and  affectionate  servant^ 
"  *i*  G.  Bediiii, 

Seme,  Sth  March,  2956.  "  ^'''^'''  ""^  ^^^^  ^=  ^■" 


J 


>TnBB. 


■toUe. 


\  of  which  you  are 
me  to  express  how 
fortunate  I  esteem 
in  the  penoroua  dis- 
ee,  the  pioty  which 
Ijavo  brouglit  your 
ever  secures  for  it 
sincere  gratitude  of 
?st  the  Catliohcs  of 
'  noble  labors,  and 
)fsuch  things,  they 
iieir  pride  they  join 
ovideneo,  that  He 
nabiy  to  confound 
)licity  is  obscuring, 

1  diffuse  a  constant 
le  Catholics :  faint 
red  that  tlie  bless- 
serving  your  reli- 
'■  excellent  service 

ost  splendid  by  a 
By  this  twofold 
;es,  and  for  this  I 
sd  that,  amid  the 
I  always  see  the 
ion  of  creed,  and 
i  dear  Catholics, 
I  alone  gratefully 
I  of  esteem,  affec- 


rvant^ 


PITBLI8HKD   BT  DTTNIOAN   AND   BROTnER. 


TESTIMONIALS  OF  APPROBATION. 
Gentlemen  : 

I  beg  to  thank  you  for  the  copy  which  you  have  been 
good  enough  to  send  me  of  your  edition  of  Haydock's  Bible.  It  is  mag- 
nificent,  and  must,  I  am  sure,  obtain  universal  approbation. 

lam, 
Yours  faithfully  In  Xt., 

*i>  N.  Card.  Wiseman, 

AKCHBiSHOP  or  Westminbteh. 

The  grand  Haydock's  Bible  which  you  sent  me  long  ago,  has  at  last 
reached  me.  The  richness  of  the  paper,  the  accuracy  of  the  print,  the 
elegance  of  the  engravings,  and  the  magnificence  of  the  binding,  ought 
to  convince  all  impartial  Protestants  either  that  you  are  very  bad  busi- 
ness-men  in  publishing  so  large  and  so  costly  a  volume,  or  that  they 
were  imposed  upon  when  taught  that  Catholics  are  not  allowed  to  read 
the  Bible.  I  shall  erer  keep  your  gift  side  by  side  with  another  precious 
copy  of  the  Sacred  Scriptureg  published  in  1565. 

'h  Joseph  S.  Alemany, 

AncHBisnop  of  San  Fbancisco. 

I  regard  your  splendid  edition  of  Haydock's  Catholic  Bible  as  a  real 
work  of  art,  doing  the  greatest  honor  to  Catholic  typography  in  tie 
United  States;  but,  accompanied  as  it  is  with  the  useful  and  learned 
notes  of  the  Rev.  George  Haydock,  I  see  and  value  in  it  a  treasure  of 
doctrine  and  piety  open  both  to  the  clergy  and  laity. 

Receive,  dear  sir,  my  best  respects,  and  I  may  add,  the  expression  of 
my  gratitude  for  the  eminent  services  you  have  done  the  Church  in  thia 
country. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

•{•  Aug.  Martin, 

Bishop  of  Natchitochm. 


if!     I 


!     vi 


4 


PCBLISHED   BY   DUNIOAJf   AND   BROTHER. 


TESTimONIAIiS  OF  APPROBATION. 

"  The  beatity,  the  elegance,  the  exqaitite  perfection  of  yoor  magnifi- 
cent  edition  of  Haydock's  Bible,  honor  extremely  the  zeal  and  intelligence 
of  the  publishers,  and  cannot  be  better  employed  than  in  adding  dignity 
to  the  Word  of  God.  I  cannot,  therefore,  but  highly  approve  your  pioui 
undertaking,  and  join  my  suffrage  to  the  judgment  which  your  Ordinary, 
the  learned  Archbishop  of  New  York,  has  pronounced,  after  mature  inves- 
tigation, and  to  the  praises  of  the  other  venerable  Bishops  of  the  United 
States :  but  I  will  especially  echo  the  august  voice  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff, 
Pius  IX.,  by  offering  yon  the  most  smcere  felicitations  on  all  your  labors  to 
extend  the  Catholic  Church  and  increase  piety,  by  diffusing  in  your  coontiy, 
amid  Protestantism,  so  many  edifying  works. 

"»{«  Bartholomew  €taarle§  Romilli, 

"Abchbisuop  of  Milan* 

"  I  most  willingly  adhere  to  the  approval  of  this  edition  of  the  Holy 
Bible,  given  by  my  Most  Rev.  Friend  and  Brother  m  Christ,  the  Arch- 
bishop of  New  York ;  and  I  shall  not  fail  to  recommend  its  iiae  to  the 
clergy  and  faithful  of  the  Ecclesiastical  province  of  Quebec. 

"<h  P.  F., 

"Archbishop  op  Qubbbo." 

"  I  return  you  thanks  for  youi  splendid  edition  of  the  Bible  with  Hay- 
dock's  notes.  I  am  happy  to  find  that  you  have  completed  your  ardoona 
undertaking,  and  trust  that  a  rapid  sale  will  reward  your  noble  enterpriae. 

"•i<  Francis  Patrick  Kenrick, 

••  Abchb'p  Balt." 

"  I  feel  proud  of  adding  my  approbation  to  that  of  your  illustrioiu 
Archbishop,  and  unite  with  all  the  Prelates  and  Catholics  of  this  country, 
m  felicitating  you  on  the  auspicious  consummation  of  so  noble  an  under- 
taking. Wishing  you  a  long  succession  of  years  distinguished  by  labore  and 
vurtues,  such  as  merited  for  yon  the  letter  and  gold  medal  from  the  Holy 
Father  with  his  Apostolie  blessing, 

"I  remain,  &c.,    q*  J,  B.  Pnrcell, 

"Abp.  Chi." 

"  I  cheerfully  authorize  you  to  nse  my  name  in  lecommending  it  to 
the  patronage  of  the  Catholics  in  the  Uultcd  States. 

"){« I<.  de  Goesbriand, 

"  Bp.  of  Btounoton,  Vt.* 


BR. 


[ON. 

of  joar  magnifi- 
il  and  intelligenoa 
in  adding  dignity 
)prove  your  pioui 
sh  your  Ordinary, 
fter  mature  inves- 
>ps  of  the  United 
Sovereign  Pontiff, 
1  all  your  labors  to 
g  in  your  countiy, 

II, 

OF  OF  Milan" 

tion  of  the  Holy 
Christ,  the  Arch- 
id  its  ^lae  to  the 

BC. 

?  OF  QUKBBO.* 

Bible  with  Hay. 

ted  your  arduous 

noble  enterprise. 

lbchb'p  Balt." 

f  your  illustrions 
i  of  this  country, 
noble  an  under- 
hed  by  labors  and 
il  from  the  Holy 

II, 
«Abp.  Cm* 

ommending  it  to 


tUNOTOK,  Vt.* 


PTTBLIBHBD  BT  DUNIOAN  AND   BBOTIMB. 


Additional  Approbation*. 

•♦  I  received  with  gratitude  your  kind  letter  announcing  the  trans- 
mmsion  of  a  copy  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Bible  and  Commentary,  recently 
pubhshed  by  you.  It  has  now  arrived,  and  I  hold  the  precious  vc  iume 
in  my  hands.  I  do  not  wonder  that  it  has  merited  the  approbation  of 
the  Holy  Father,  and  of  the  Archbishops  and  Bishops  of  the  United 
States  and  other  places,  as  the  work  is  well  worthy  of  such  approba- 
tion.  I  hope  that  by  its  perusal  our  Lord  God  will  be  more  known  and 
loved,  and  tlmt  the  faithful  will  derive  great  utility  and  profit,  and  so 
far  as  depends  on  me,  I  shaU  endeavor  that  they  do. 

"  *h  Antonio  lUaria  (Claret  1  Clara,) 

"  Aeohbishop  of  Cuba." 

"  I  beg  leave  to  return  you  my  most  sincere  and  grateful  thanks  for 
your  kindness  in  sending  me  a  copy  of  your  splendid  edition  of  Hay- 
dock's  Bible,  in  grand  and  massive  binding. 

"  >h  JTosepli  Dixon, 

"  Abcbbibhop  of  Armagh." 

"  I  ««°"<J«r  the  edition  of  Haydock's  Family  Bible,  from  the  press 
of  Messrs.  Dunigan  «fe  Brother  of  New  York,  a  magnificent  work.  Their 
Catholic  zeal  in  undertaking  so  expensive  a  publication  is  only  sur- 
passed  by  their  artistic  skill  in  its  execution.  The  learned  annotations 
which  accompany  the  text  make  it  a  treasure  for  families,  and  I  take 
pleasure  in  recommending  it  as  the  best  and  most  elegant  family  Bible 
to  be  obtained. 

"  >h  John  McGill, 

'*  Bishop  of  Richmond.*' 

"I  am  in  the  receipt  of  a  copy  of  your  edition  of  Haydock's  Holy 
Bible.  I  highly  approve  of  it,  and  shall  not  fail  to  recommend  it  to  the 
faithful  of  this  diocese. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  gentlemen,  your  obedient  servant, 

**  *i>  J.  A.  Goold, 

•'Bishop  of  MBMotram!." 


■•»"^M> 


'  t  «1 


i  ^1 


it 


^M 

rH 

^^^^Bm'M. 

mm 

-iM 

PUBLISHED   BT   DCNIOAN   AND   BROTHER. 


L 


ADDITIONAL  AITEOBATIONB. 

"  Pleasti  accept  my  thanks  for  your  new  and  unabridged  edition  of 
Haydock's  Catholic  Bible,  and  enlist  my  name  among  your  subscribers, 
who,  I  sincerely  hope,  will  be  aa  numerous  as  you  have  unquestionable 
right  to  expect,  for  the  unsurpassed  care  which  you  have  given  to  this 
precious  publication. 

<*  I  have  ihe  honor  to  remain, 

"Your  affect  serv't, 

*<»&  Ant., 

"  Abp.  of  N.  Orleans." 

**Yoar  edition  of  the  Bible  just  issued,  with  the  approval  of  your  Ordi- 
nary, is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  editions  of  the  sacred  volume  which  has 
appeared  up  to  the  present.  Accompanied,  as  it  is,  with  many  valuable 
explanatory  notes,  it  will  be  acceptable  to  the  student  and  occasional 
reader  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

"•&  Bernard  O'Reilly, 

"  Bp.  of  Hartfobd." 

"  I  shall  be  most  happy  to  recommend  your  most  splendid  edition  of 
Haydock's  Bible  to  the  faithful  of  this  Diocese,  and  especially  to  our  clergy, 
who,  I  am  convinced,  will  find  it  elegant  in  appearance  and  rich  in 
learning. 

"•^  Patrick,  Bp.  of  Carrtaae, 

*«  Adm.  Ap.  of  Kinoston." 

"Your  magnificent  and  complete  edition  of  Haydock's  Bible  received 
my  approbation  before  it  was  commenced.  It  was,  as  I  have  reason  to 
suppose,  chiefly  on  my  recommendation,  that  your  lamented  brother  deter- 
mined to  republish  it  here.  It  is,  without  doubt,  the  most  complete  edition 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  English,  and  one  of  the  finest  specimens  of 
printing  yet  put  forth  im  this  country. 

"•{«  James, 

"  Bp.  op  Newark.* 

"I  sincerely  congratulate  you  on  the  zeal  you  display  in  the  publication 
of  Haydock's  Bible,  and  I  am  happy  to  add  my  humble  approbation  of  an 
undertaking  so  useful  to  the  Church,  and  so  glorious  for  yourselves,  to  those 
flf  w  many  illustrious  prelates,  able  to  ap^.reciate  your  work  as  it  deserves. 

**  i{(  Ang.  IS.  All.  Blancliet« 

«  Bp.  of  NuQrALT." 


R. 


ddgcd  e^tion  of 
your  subscribers, 
'0  unquestionable 
ve  given  to  this 


N.  Orleans." 

al  of  your  Ordi- 
jlume  which  has 
h  many  valuable 
t  and  occasional 


)FHABTrOBD." 

endid  edition  of 
illy  to  our  clergy, 
nee  and  rich  in 


OF  KlNOSTOK." 

's  Bible  received 
[  have  reason  to 
ed  brother  deter- 
t  complete  edition 
lest  specimens  of 


,  OF  Newark." 

'  in  the  publication 
jpprobation  of  an 
'ourselves,  to  thoa« 
ork  as  it  deserves. 


OF  NUQVALT." 


